Altogether 20 persons, including five women, have died after consumption illicit liquor in Anaith, Pakri and Chhoti line localities under Nawada police station area over the past four days, District Magistrate Pratima S Verma said.
As many as 15 others have taken ill at Sadar hospital in Ara town and the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) at Patna, she said, adding two of them, identified as Gyansagar Paswan and Jaleshwar Mukhiya have suffered visual impairment and were undergoing treatment.
The District Administration has decided to give ex-gratia of Rs 20,000 each to the kin of the victims in the hooch tragedy, Verma said.
The police has arrested 24 illicit liquor vendors and destroyed 25 illicit factories in the districts, besides seizing 350 litre spurious liquor, police sources said.
Raids were being carried out to nab three named accused persons booked for supply of illicit liquor that caused the death of 20 persons in the district, they said.
Cases have been registered under the SC/ST Act in connection in connection with the death of 12 dalits in the hooch tragedy, the sources said, adding that separate FIRs have been lodged at 12 police stations for sale of illicit liquor.