After Chhapra hooch deaths, now spurious liqour kills 5 in Siwan

SIWAN(BIHAR): Days after the hooch tragedy in Bihar's Chhapra claimed over 50 lives, at least 5 people died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in the adjoining Siwan district in the state. All five deceased are residents of Brahsthan and Sondhani villages of Bhagwanpur Police Station area.

According to sources, the death toll is expected to rise. Angry family members of the deceased obstructed the Siwan-Chapra Malmalia main road and undertook a protest. The distance between Siwan and Chhapra is around 10 kilometers.

The deceased have been identified as Mahesh Rai (40), Sambhu Yadav (36), Amir Manjhi (45), and Awadh Manjhi (36) of Brahmasthan Village while Ramendra Pandit hailed from Sondhani village.

According to locals, the death toll is expected to go up and the condition of some people are stated to be serious. The bodies of the deceased are being transported to Sadar Hospital in Siwan. Police Circle Inspector reached the Sadar Hospital with a large police posse. He, however, refused to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, in the Begusarai district, administration swung into action after one person reportedly died allegedly after consuming liquor. Two persons identified as Deepak Kumar and Shivam Kumar- who consumed alcohol with the deceased, are being interrogated by police.

A third person Sandeep, who drank with them has been referred to Patna hospital in a critical condition. The death toll in the Chhapra Hooch tragedy went up to 53 on Friday after 11 more people succumbed. The deaths have created an uproar both at the state and national level as the sale and consumption of alcohol have been banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government since April 2016.

Nitish Kumar's former ally, BJP, has come down heavily on him with MPs of the Bharatiya Janata Party from the state raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday during Assembly proceedings reiterated his "piyoge to maroge" remark that those who will drink spurious liquor would die.

Addressing the state assembly, the chief minister stated that no compensation will be given to people who died after drinking and repeated that "if you drink alcohol you will die".