6 dead after consuming spurious liquor, CM Nitish calls it sad incident

Reacting to the hooch tragedy in Motihari, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that it's a sad incident and asked for all information related to it.

As many as six people have died and 10 people are ill while the condition of two is critically ill and are admitted to hospital after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Motihari on Saturday, said Jayant Kant, DIG, Champaran Range.

"Seven people have also been arrested in the case till now", added DIG Kant.

Speaking to ANI on the deaths of six people in Motihari after allegedly consuming spurious liquor, CM Nitish Kumar said, "It is a sad incident. I have asked for all information on it."

Nitish Kumar's government imposed the liquor ban across the state under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, of 2016.

Earlier in January, five people died due to consuming spurious liquor in the Bala village in Lakari Nabiganj of Siwan district in Bihar, a District Magistrate official said.

Police said 16 persons have been arrested so far in connection with the Siwan Hooch tragedy.

Notably, the incident came to light days after the Bihar Police recovered illicit liquor bottles hidden in a gutter in Danapur on December 21 last year. Since the deaths due to spurious liquor have come to the fore, the district administration has started running camps in the village.

Previously in December last year, spurious liquor claimed the lives of over 50 people in Bihar's Chhapra and at least five people died after allegedly consuming hooch in the adjoining Siwan district. Angry family members of the deceased had obstructed the Siwan-Chapra Malmalia main road and undertook a protest. The bodies of the deceased were transported to Sadar Hospital in Siwan.

The deaths also caused an uproar both at the state and national levels with opposition leaders attacking Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the deaths and he, in turn, reiterating in the assembly "piyoge to maroge". (If you drink you will die).