Hooch claims 8 lives in fresh incident in Bihar

Eight persons have died in Gaya district after drinking illicit liquor, taking the total number of hooch deaths in Bihar this month to 28.

Of the victims, seven persons died in Rampur police station area and one in Cherki police station area last night, while four were admitted to the Anugarh Narayan Magadh Medical College, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rakesh Dubey said.

Bihar DGP Abhyanand has asked Deputy Inspector General of Police, Magadh range, Nayyer Hussnain Khan to investigate the deaths.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Gaya, Vinay Kumar said police raided a godown in Bindi Yadav market belonging to Mantu Yadav, the brother of RJD MLA from Belaganj Surendra Yadav, and seized a large quantity of hooch in pouches.

The SSP said the hooch from the godown was identical to that from which the deaths occurred.

Spurious liquor in Bhojpur district had recently claimed 20 lives while 15 others were taken ill with two persons suffering visual impairment.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had yesterday said that the state government has launched a crackdown on illegal liquor traders.

He had said he was personally in favour of prohibition, but it was not possible as seen in states which have done so and the solution lay in dismantling the illegal liquor trade network.