ASI injured in clash between liquor smugglers in Patna

An assistant sub-inspector of police received bullet injury in a clash between the force and liquor smugglers here on on Saturday, a police official said.

A liquor smuggler too received bullet injury during the clash which took place near the railway line under Jakkanpur police station in Patna, he said.

In Bihar manufacture, trade, storage, transportation, sale and consumption of liquor has been banned by the state government since April 5, 2016 and violation of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act was made a punishable offence.

The police had reached the spot on Saturday morning on a tip off that illegal liquor is being unloaded from a train at the spot, Patna senior superintendent of police Upendra Sharma said.

When the police team reached the spot the accomplices of the liquor smugglers attacked them and threw stones at them, he said.

The liquor smugglers also fired seeing the police and injured the ASI on his leg, Sharma said.

He was, however, categorical that the police did not open fire in retaliation.

Witnesses, however, claimed that there was an exchange of fire by the police and the smugglers in which the ASI and the smuggler was injured.

Both the injured were admitted to Patna Medical College Hospital and their condition is stable, the SSP said.

Police reinforcements were rushed to the spot.