NEWS
AT LEAST 31 DIED AFTER DRINKING ILLICIT LIQUOR IN DRY INDIAN STATE OF BIHAR
By Siulan Law Mathews DipWSET
19-4-2023
Source: Unsplash
Toxic moonshine has killed at least 31 people in the eastern Indian state of Bihar where alcohol is banned, according to official figures, while unconfirmed local reports put the death toll at 40.
The deaths were first reported last Friday in Motihari district, about 151 km north of Patna, the capital city of Bihar state.
Initial investigations show that poisonous methyl alcohol was found in a locally made cheap tipple known as Desi Daru.
Most of the victims are from poor families who bought the poisonous tipple from illegal producers who sold the liquor in the black market
Local news media said the number of deaths is likely to continue to increase as the condition of nine other victims are battling their lives in hospital.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced yesterday that families of victims who died after drinking illicit liquor since 2016, when prohibition was introduced to Bihar, will receive a compensation of INR400,000 (USD4,881).
Local police have seized and destroyed over 900 litres of toxic liquor in a series of raids since the outbreak.
They have arrested at least 174 people suspected to be involved in the production, sale and supply of the illegal liquor.
This incident is just the latest in a string of similar deadly events in the dry state, 37 people were killed after consuming illicit liquor in Bihar just five months ago in last December.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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