Another tragedy struck Bihar when 26 people died in Motihari, East Champaran district, from drinking fake alcohol. The Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, declared that the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund will provide a compensation of 4 lakh to the surviving family members of those who passed away. This payment will have some restrictions, though.
2016 saw the Bihar government outlaw both the sale and use of alcohol. This ban does not stop the sale or consumption of illicit alcohol, which results in tragedies like this one. As a result of their involvement in the illicit selling of alcohol, the police have detained 80 people. Five station house officers (SHOs) were suspended as a result of the event.
To request the compensation, the surviving family members of the deceased must provide a written statement to the district magistrate. The statement must declare that the person’s death was caused by ingesting illegal alcohol, identify the source of the alcohol, affirm support for the government’s alcohol ban, and exhort others to stop drinking. The compensation will be given to the family members if they satisfy these requirements.
Large quantities of fake booze and the ingredients used to create it were seized by the police during inspections of more than 600 sites in Motihari. 1,150 gallons of chemicals, 370 litres of domestic alcohol, 50 litres of spirit, and other goods were recovered.
The Chief Minister offered his sympathies to the bereaved families and acknowledged that the majority of them were from low-income households. He also acknowledged that situations involving illicit alcohol continue to happen despite the government’s best efforts.
This tragedy makes it clear that the alcohol ban needs to be strictly enforced, and the underlying problems that encourage illegal alcohol sales need to be addressed. The families may feel some relief from the settlement, but the government must take action to stop future tragedies from happening in a similar way.