In dry Bihar, tipplers may skip jail term if they inform on suppliers

Tipplers in dry Bihar may now be let off without a jail sentence if, upon being caught drunk, they spill the beans on their suppliers, a top official said here on Monday.

Deputy Commissioner, Excise, Krishna Kumar, told reporters that the "relaxation" was being introduced with a view to tightening the noose on the network of smugglers and peddlers.

"Now, if a person is caught drunk he will be asked about the place and persons who made alcohol available to him. A raid would be conducted on the basis of the tip-off and if the information is found correct, the informant will not be jailed", he said.

The sale and consumption of alcohol were completely banned by the Nitish Kumar government in April 2016, a year after the Chief Minister made a promise to the effect to women of the state who complained about growing drunkenness.

Implementation of the prohibition law, which contains a number of draconian provisions, has been patchy and the state has lost more than 50 lives in hooch tragedies reported since November last.

Ham-handed attempts by the police at enforcement, which include arrests of visitors from outside the state and raids on wedding parties, have led to much resentment.

The Chief Minister has been trying to make prohibition effective through didactic public meetings and equipping police personnel, involved in the crackdown on violators, with high-end resources like helicopters, drones, satellite phones, motorboats, and sniffer dogs.