Patna: Two police personnel were hit by a speeding vehicle carrying liquor from Jharkhand near the Rajauli integrated checkpost in Nawada, around 117km southeast of Patna, on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team from Bundelkhand police station in the district tried to intercept a passenger van carrying liquor from Jharkhand around 6.30am on Tuesday. The driver of the van hit the motorcycle of constable Rajiv Kumar at Gondapur on National Highway 31 and managed to flee towards Biharsharif in Nalanda.

Both Rajiv, who was driving his motorcycle and homeguard jawan Krishna Prasad, the pillion rider, fell on the ground causing them grievous injuries. Rajiv was referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for treatment while Krishna was being treated at Nawada sadar hospital.

The station house officer (SHO) of Nawada town police station, Anjani Kumar Singh, said the policemen had gone to seize the vehicle after they received intelligence inputs that a van coming from the Jharkhand side was transporting liquor. On seeing the police, the van driver tried to flee, which compelled the cops to give the vehicle a chase.

On Monday, a police team had seized 595 cartons of liquor from a truck and arrested two persons during search of vehicles in Nawada. The driver and cleaner, identified as Harjeet Singh and Harpreet Singh, told interrogators that the consignment booked from Punjab's Tarn Taran was to be delivered in Muzaffarpur.

Nawada superintendent of police Hari Prasath S. said the liquor was hidden in bundles of cotton to dodge the personnel. "We have intensified raids to check liquor smuggling from outside the state," he said, adding that those involved in liquor trade wouldn't be spared.

Sub-inspector Satya Narain Prasad said the truck was intercepted after a long chase. The driver and the cleaner of the vehicle tried to mislead the police as they were paid Rs 10,000 as commission to safely deliver the consignment to its destination.