Page 63 - Bihar

Bihar hooch tragedy: Eight more die in two other districts; over 30 dead

Close on the heels of the hooch tragedy in dry Bihar that left 30 people dead in Saran district, eight more died allegedly after consuming some spurious liquor in two other districts, officials said on Saturday. Six people died in Siwan district adjoining Saran, while Begusarai witnessed two other deaths. Unconfirmed reports claimed that up to 60 people died by drinking illicitly brewed country liquor in Saran district. Even the official toll of 30 there is the biggest since Bihar went dry more than six years ago. About the six deaths in Bhagwanpur division of Siwan district since Thursday, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sanjay Kumar said the administration has initiated an investigation. We are also carrying searches in the area to nab those who indulge in the sale and purchase of liquor, Kumar said. On the Begusari incident, Deputy Superintendent of Police Chandramohan Prasad told reporters that two youths died after consuming some poisonous chemical in Teghra division on Friday. W

Bihar BJP leaders visit Saran, Kishore says spirit seized by police used

'It is a big proof that the entire incident was executed in well-planned manner and local police were involved in it'

SC directs UPSC, Bihar Govt to finalise Director-General of Police

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Bihar Government to finalise expeditiously the name of the Director-General of Police (DGP) of the state

NHRC notice to Bihar govt, state police chief over Saran hooch tragedy

The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Bihar government and the state's police chief over the Saran hooch tragedy in which at least 30 people have died, officials said on Friday. The sale and consumption of alcohol was completely banned in Bihar in April 2016, though its "implementation has been patchy," the NHRC observed in a statement. The Saran hooch tragedy toll rose to 30 on Friday, the biggest since Bihar went dry more than six years ago, and it continued to cast a shadow on the state legislature where BJP members disrupted proceedings in both Houses before staging a Raj Bhavan march. However, unconfirmed reports claimed up to 50 people died by drinking illicitly brewed country liquor. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has "taken suo motu cognisance of the media reports that several people have died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Saran district of Bihar," it said. The commission has observed that the contents of the media repor

2 more deaths reported in Bihar hooch tragedy; toll in Saran rises to 28

The Bihar hooch tragedy toll climbed to 28 with two more deaths reported, a top Saran district official said. Saran District Magistrate Rajesh Meena told PTI, "The suspected hooch death has increased to 28 (till Thursday night) in the district". The DM said that action has also been initiated against officials concerned. "We have also conducted intensive raids across the district in the last 48 hours and nabbed 126 hooch traders. More than 4,000 litres of illicit liquor have also been seized," he told reporters on Thursday. Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar, had declined to divulge whether the arrested persons included those directly involved in the latest hooch case, saying that "the matter is still under investigation and disclosing much at this stage could hamper the probe". "For speedy investigation, an SIT consisting of 31 police officials, headed by an additional SP and including three deputy SPs, has also been set up", the district magistrate had said. The DM and the

Bihar govt 'committing massacre' through liquor ban, says BJP leader

With the toll in the Saran liquor tragedy at 39, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha targeted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing his govt of "committing a massacre"

Whoever drinks will die, says Nitish Kumar after hooch toll rises to 26

After Bihar's hooch toll climbed to 26, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday warned that if people drink spurious liquor, they will die, as the prohibition policy of his government came under attack from left, right and centre. Political strategist turned activist Prashant Kishor described the state's prohibition law as a farce and demanded scrapping of the prohibition law. "Jo piyega woh marega" (those who drink spurious alcohol will die), thundered Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who stood his ground maintaining that prohibition was not my personal wish but a response to the cries of the women of the state. He also expressed displeasure over criticisms from the opposition BJP which has raised the issue even inside Parliament. Civil surgeon and medical officer in charge Dr Sagar Dulal Sinha said deaths were being reported from those homes in affected villages where a family member falling ill after consuming intoxicants was not reported out of fear of landing on the wrong sid

Nitish should resign if his govt fails to implement policies: Giriraj

'If your police is not able to implement your law and policies then you should resign'

'Those who drink liquor, will die', says Bihar CM on hooch tragedy

Targetting the Opposition, the CM said, "BJP leaders should go in public and make people aware about the benefits of liquor ban in Bihar"

Toll in Chhapra hooch tragedy soars to 39, minister vows strict action

Bihar minister Sunil Kumar "vowed' that govt would take "strict action" against culprits responsible for deaths

Nitish Kumar drops hints he may pass on mantle to Tejashwi Yadav

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday dropped further hints that he was looking forward to passing on the mantle to his young deputy Tejashwi Yadav, leaders emerging from a meeting of legislators of the ruling 'Mahagathbandhan' said. The septuagenarian JD(U) supremo, once again, ruled himself out as a prime ministerial candidate for the next Lok Sabha polls even as he maintained that a "united opposition" could defeat the Narendra Modi-led BJP in 2024. "The chief minister pointed towards Tejashwi ji and said he is the leader of the future, under whose leadership the 2025 assembly polls in the state would be fought," said Mahboob Alam, the legislature party leader of the CPI(ML) Liberation which supports the government from outside. He also said "we are of the view that it will benefit the grand alliance which is fighting the communal forces represented by the BJP. Tejashwi ji is a young and energetic leader". Notably, Yadav, the younger son of RJD's founding president Lalu .

Bihar accounts for 6 out of 10 Indian cities with worst air pollution

While the temperature is dipping across most of the country, the Air Quality Index (AQI) continues to remain above severe in most of the cities

Nitish reveals the two people on whose advice he broke alliance with BJP

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Sunday revealed that he had broken alliance with the BJP on the advice of two persons - JD(U) national president Lalan Singh and cabinet minister Bijendra Yadav

Kurhani result reflection of people's anger against Nitish: Prashant Kishor

Political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor on Friday claimed that BJP's victory in the recently held Kurhani bypoll was a reflection of people's anger against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his Mahagathbandhan government. Kishor, who is on a 3,500 km-long padayatra in the state, also said that he has found out during interactions with people that they were fed up with the "rampant corruption" in Bihar. Talking to reporters at Ghodasahan area in Motihari (East Champaran), Kishor said, "People are not happy with the performance of the Mahagathbandhan government. I have been interacting with people over the last several days, and I can say with full confidence that they are fed up with rampant corruption in the state. "The Kurhani bypoll result is a reflection of people's anger against Nitish Kumar." The BJP on Wednesday wrested from Bihar's ruling JD(U) the Kurhani assembly seat. "Angry protests greeted Nitish Kumar when he launched his poll campaign in Kurhani two days

Chirag Paswan raises issue of 'rising' crimes against Dalits in Bihar in LS

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan on Friday raised in Lok Sabha the issue of alleged rise in crimes, especially against Dalits, in Bihar and said Parliament can't be mum when the state government is maintaining "silence". The Jamui MP noted that a woman and her five-year-old daughter were burnt alive in Arwal after their house was set ablaze by people accused by the mother of trying to sexually assault her. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Paswan said the culprits were angry with her, a member of the Paswan community, for complaining to police and alleged that the local administration was hand in glove with them. He said a Paswan woman was gang-raped and killed in Begusarai as he hit out at the state government for its "silence". While acknowledging that law and order is a state subject, he said the Centre should act on its own and order a CBI probe as the people of Bihar are angry at the JD(U)-RJD-Congress government's alleged lack of action. The Lok Sabh

Bypolls results: Counting of votes for 6 constituencies in 5 states today

The polling was held on December 5 in six assembly seats in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh

Job aspirants threaten to launch protest during Bihar winter session

With the winter session of Bihar Vidhan Sabha starting from December 13, the aspirants for the teachers' posts have decided to begin a massive movement in Bihar for the seventh phase of recruitment

Bypolls: Voting underway in Mainpuri, 6 assembly constituencies in 5 states

Voting began on Monday in the by-election to six assembly constituencies in five states and the Mainpuri parliamentary seat in Uttar Pradesh. Rampur Sadar and Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh, Padampur in Odisha, Sardarshahar in Rajasthan, Kurhani in Bihar and Bhanupratappur in Chhattisgarh are the assembly seats where the bypolls are being held. Election authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the by-elections. The polling was being held amid tight security arrangements. In Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, the polling began at 7 am, while in Rajasthan it started at 8 am. In Uttar Pradesh, a direct contest between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance is on the cards in bypolls to the Rampur Sadar and Khatauli assembly seats and the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. The BSP and the Congress are not contesting the bypolls. The by-election to the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat is taking place due to the death of Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh

5 Bihar villages to be developed into human-carnivore coexistence zone

Five villages of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in West Champaran district of Bihar will be developed into a model human-carnivore coexistence zone, with the state government joining hands with the Wildlife Trust of India, a Nepalese organisation and a UK-based zoo for the project, officials said. The objective of the project is to end the human-carnivore conflict in the Valmiki-Chitwan-Parsa transboundary landscape, they said. The WTI, National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC-Nepal) and Chester Zoo (UK) had jointly applied for the project and sought a letter of support from the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department, said P K Gupta, Bihar's Chief Wildlife Warden. The department has given its go-ahead for the initiative, he told PTI. The Chester Zoo has been actively working on human-wildlife conflict worldwide for the last several years, including in Terai in Nepal, where human-tiger conflict is a matter of concern, Gupta said. Human-wildlife conflict is among the most

NHRC issues notices to Bihar, TN govts on abuse of orphaned children

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the governments of Bihar and Tamil Nadu over the alleged abuse of 12 orphans in a madrassa in the southern state. The Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that said two persons have been arrested in Chennai for housing and abusing orphaned juveniles from Bihar. Twelve children were rescued from the madrassa located at Ponniammanmedu, the NHRC said. The commission has issued notices to the chief secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Bihar and the Chennai police commissioner calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks. The media report published on December 1 claimed that police had got information through the '1098' helpline that some children are being subjected to harassment and physical abuse in a madrassa at Ponniammanmedu near Madhavaram in Chennai, the NHRC said. It was reported that a criminal case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the accu