Liquor ban in Bihar was imposed with Opposition's consent: Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Monday that the liquor ban in the state was imposed in April 2016 with the consent of Opposition leaders, who are now politicising the issue.

"All the Opposition parties along with the MLCs had passed a resolution based on complaints lodged by women following which a large number of people quit drinking. Some are still addicted to liquor and stringent action will be taken against them," he told reporters after the weekly 'Janta Darbar'.

"Those who gave their consent to the move then are the ones doing politics over it now," the Chief Minister said.

"Further decisions would be taken during the assessment meeting on November 16. Efforts are on to create awareness against liquor and officials have been directed to take adequate measures in their respective jurisdictions," Nitish Kumar said.

"Strong action has been initiated against people involved in spurious liquor rackets," he added.

Meanwhile, Bihar police have arrested 195 persons, including Guddu Kumar who was involved in supplying spurious liquor in Gopalganj which claimed 10 lives. Around 15 others lost their eyesight in the incident. The sleuths of the special branch also seized Rs 7.5 lakh from his possession.

In another incident, Darbhanga SSP Babu Ram said that the district police raided the house of notorious liquor smuggler Laxman Nayak and seized Rs 15 lakh in cash from his possession. Nayak, however, managed to flee before the raid on Monday.

The police in Muzaffarpur also arrested 35 persons, including liquor smuggler Rohit Thakur, on Monday. Thakur fled Muzaffarpur after a liquor tragedy in Repura village on October 29. He was arrested from Motihari where he had taken shelter since then.

In Jahanabad, the anti-liquor task force raided two places in the East Unta area and recovered 170 lt country liquor.

--IANS

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