The death toll in a suspected hooch tragedy in Bihar’s Saran district rose to five on Friday after two more men died during treatment, officials said. The incident was reported from the Panapur and Mashrakh areas of the district.
At least seven other people are admitted to the Sadar hospital in Saran after allegedly consuming spurious liquor. Officials said the deaths have been reported from different localities since March 11.
The deceased were identified as Santosh Mahto, Suken Nutt, Dharmendra Rai, Raghuvar Mahto and Pankaj Singh.
“Raghuvar Mahto and Pankaj Singh died on Friday during treatment. Their bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, and the exact cause of death will be known only after the reports are received,” the district administration said in a statement.
Officials said Raghuvar Mahto had been arrested on Thursday along with an associate for allegedly possessing country-made liquor. Dharmendra Rai, a resident of Panapur, died at a hospital in Patna on Thursday.
His body was later brought to a government hospital in Saran for post-mortem examination, officials said. In two other cases, family members cremated the bodies without informing the police.
Officials said the relatives of Sukesh Mahto and Suken Nutt carried out the cremations on Wednesday. The district administration said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the incident.
“All hospitals in the district have been put on alert and instructions have been issued that police must be informed if any patient with symptoms of alcohol consumption is admitted,” the statement said.
Police have also stepped up action against illegal liquor in the area. Raids were conducted at around 160 locations in Dhenuki, Dhenuki Nat Tola, Dubauli and Mashrakh blocks on Wednesday and Thursday.
Eleven people were arrested during the drives. Officials said 1,650 litres of country-made liquor were seized and destroyed on the spot. Authorities also recovered 128 litres of diluted liquor and 28.4 litres of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).
Bihar enforced a complete ban on the manufacture, trade, storage, transportation, sale and consumption of liquor in 2016.
Last month, the Patna High Court pulled up the state government over the “failure” of the administration in enforcing the prohibition law, saying people’s lives were being put at risk.