Another tragedy struck Bihar when 26 people died as a result of drinking fake alcohol in Motihari, East Champaran district. A 4 lakh rupee ex-gratia will be given to the deceased’s heirs, according to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. On Monday, four additional persons died after ingesting the illegal booze, bringing the total number of fatalities to 26. After the incident, five station house officers received suspensions as well.
These instances persist despite Bihar’s ban on the sale and drinking of alcohol, which took effect in April 2016. The Chief Minister expressed his profound sorrow over the tragedy and recognised that the majority of those killed came from economically disadvantaged groups. In addition, he claimed that despite their best efforts, hooch events continued to occur and result in fatalities.
Family members of the deceased must submit a written statement to the district magistrate stating that the death was caused by the intake of illegal alcohol in order to receive the compensation amount. Additionally, they must admit where the alcohol came from, promise to support the state’s prohibition laws, and encourage others to give up drinking. The reparation sum will be provided by the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
For their involvement in the unlawful sale of alcohol in the area, the East Champaran police detained 80 persons. During inspections of more than 600 locations across Motihari, the authorities seized substantial amounts of fake alcohol and related chemicals. According to the administration statement, the police were able to recover 1,150 litres of additional chemicals used in the manufacture of fake spirits, in addition to 370 litres of country-made spirits, 50 litres of spirit and other items.
The episode serves as yet another warning about the risks of ingesting illegal alcohol and emphasises the requirement for tougher implementation of Bihar’s alcohol prohibition. To stop these occurrences and deal with the underlying issues that lead to the illegal spirits trade, the government must implement stricter regulations.