Page 2 - Hooch Deaths

Police launch 'Operation Clean Drive' after hooch deaths in Bihar's Chhapra

Amid the hooch deaths in Bihar's Chhapra, with the toll currently at 72, the Saran Police on Monday launched Operation 'Clean Drive' against the sale and consumption of alcohol in the state

Bihar hooch tragedy: Spirit kept at police station wasn't used, says DGP

Two days after senior BJP leader Tarkishore Prasad alleged that the spurious liquor which claimed scores of lives in dry Bihar were made with spirits seized by the Saran Police, S K Singhal, the director general of police, on Monday rubbished the claim as "baseless". Singhal, speaking with reporters here, said a probe is underway into the hooch tragedy, and anyone found involved in the preparation, sale or distribution of liquor would face strict action. The Nitish Kumar government on Monday put at 38 the number of people who died in the Saran hooch tragedy, even as the opposition BJP claimed that the toll have crossed 100. A delegation of BJP leaders had on December 17 visited Mashrakh and other areas in Saran district and met the family members of the deceased. Tarkishore Prasad, the former deputy chief minister, had later said that the "majority of the victims died after consuming a specific type of liquor, which was made with spirits seized and stocked at a police ...

Bihar hooch tragedy: Sobering reality of missing liquor policy

Based on latest available data, of the 947 deaths due to spurious liquor in 2020, a majority were in Madhya Pradesh (214), Jharkhand (139), and Punjab (133)

Nitish govt draws flak over refusal to compensate victims of hooch tragedy

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on Saturday drew flak, from adversaries as well as allies, over its adamant refusal to give compensation to family members of those who have died in the Saran hooch tragedy. The administration has confirmed only 30 deaths since Tuesday night, following suspected consumption of spurious liquor, making it the biggest hooch tragedy in the state since it went dry over six years ago. However, the opposition BJP has claimed, inside the state assembly as well as in a memorandum submitted to Governor Phagu Chauhan that the number of deaths was "more than 100", a view echoed by Chirag Paswan, an NDA sympathizer and strident critic of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. "I visited Saran today to meet the bereaved family members and was appalled to learn that the administration was putting pressure on them not to report deaths caused by hooch or attribute these to other causes so that the magnitude of the tragedy is downplayed. I am told that the number of those w

Bihar hooch tragedy: Eight more die in two other districts; over 30 dead

Close on the heels of the hooch tragedy in dry Bihar that left 30 people dead in Saran district, eight more died allegedly after consuming some spurious liquor in two other districts, officials said on Saturday. Six people died in Siwan district adjoining Saran, while Begusarai witnessed two other deaths. Unconfirmed reports claimed that up to 60 people died by drinking illicitly brewed country liquor in Saran district. Even the official toll of 30 there is the biggest since Bihar went dry more than six years ago. About the six deaths in Bhagwanpur division of Siwan district since Thursday, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sanjay Kumar said the administration has initiated an investigation. We are also carrying searches in the area to nab those who indulge in the sale and purchase of liquor, Kumar said. On the Begusari incident, Deputy Superintendent of Police Chandramohan Prasad told reporters that two youths died after consuming some poisonous chemical in Teghra division on Friday. W

2 more deaths reported in Bihar hooch tragedy; toll in Saran rises to 28

The Bihar hooch tragedy toll climbed to 28 with two more deaths reported, a top Saran district official said. Saran District Magistrate Rajesh Meena told PTI, "The suspected hooch death has increased to 28 (till Thursday night) in the district". The DM said that action has also been initiated against officials concerned. "We have also conducted intensive raids across the district in the last 48 hours and nabbed 126 hooch traders. More than 4,000 litres of illicit liquor have also been seized," he told reporters on Thursday. Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar, had declined to divulge whether the arrested persons included those directly involved in the latest hooch case, saying that "the matter is still under investigation and disclosing much at this stage could hamper the probe". "For speedy investigation, an SIT consisting of 31 police officials, headed by an additional SP and including three deputy SPs, has also been set up", the district magistrate had said. The DM and the

Whoever drinks will die, says Nitish Kumar after hooch toll rises to 26

After Bihar's hooch toll climbed to 26, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday warned that if people drink spurious liquor, they will die, as the prohibition policy of his government came under attack from left, right and centre. Political strategist turned activist Prashant Kishor described the state's prohibition law as a farce and demanded scrapping of the prohibition law. "Jo piyega woh marega" (those who drink spurious alcohol will die), thundered Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who stood his ground maintaining that prohibition was not my personal wish but a response to the cries of the women of the state. He also expressed displeasure over criticisms from the opposition BJP which has raised the issue even inside Parliament. Civil surgeon and medical officer in charge Dr Sagar Dulal Sinha said deaths were being reported from those homes in affected villages where a family member falling ill after consuming intoxicants was not reported out of fear of landing on the wrong sid

Nitish should resign if his govt fails to implement policies: Giriraj

'If your police is not able to implement your law and policies then you should resign'

'Those who drink liquor, will die', says Bihar CM on hooch tragedy

Targetting the Opposition, the CM said, "BJP leaders should go in public and make people aware about the benefits of liquor ban in Bihar"

Toll in Chhapra hooch tragedy soars to 39, minister vows strict action

Bihar minister Sunil Kumar "vowed' that govt would take "strict action" against culprits responsible for deaths

Bihar hooch tragedy: Death toll reaches 9, 17 people loose eyesight

A day after the hooch tragedy in Bihar's Saran district, the death toll on Friday reached nine, and 17 people lost their eyesight.

AAP leaders to protest in Delhi against Gujarat Hooch tragedy today

The Aam Aadmi Party will hold a protest outside the BJP headquarters here on Wednesday against the Hooch tragedy in the saffron party-ruled Gujarat . The death toll due to the consumption of spurious liquor in Gujarat's Botad district went up to 28, according to a senior state police offical . "It's murder," AAP leader Durgesh Pathak said in a tweet on Tuesday, alleging people lost their lives after consuming spurious liquor sold under the patronage of the BJP government in the state. The AAP will protest against it on Wednesday at 1 pm in front of the BJP's headquarters in Delhi, he added.

Gujarat: Death toll in hooch tragedy rises to 33; govt forms probe panel

Primary investigations have revealed some small-time bootleggers of different villages of Botad district had made spurious liquor or hooch by mixing water with methyl alcohol or methanol

Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka see spike in deaths due to hooch between 2016-20

In India, the number of hooch tragedies has only gone up. According to a report in ABP live, India sees the death of 3 people every day due to the consumption of spurious liquor

8 people dead, 5 hospitalised after consuming spurious liquor in Aligarh

Eight people died on Friday and five more are hospitalised after allegedly consuming spurious liquor supplied by a contracted vendor, police said here

Punjab hooch tragedy: SAD takes out protest march, demands govt's dismissal

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alleged that the liquor mafia in the state had paid money to the Congress to "thwart" any probe into the "illegal liquor trade"

None will be spared: CM Amarinder Singh to hooch victims' families

Singh also spoke to the families and took ground assessment of the action taken against the culprits

Punjab hooch tragedy: Police arrests Ludhiana-based methanol supplier

Rajeev Joshi, the owner of Ludhiana Paint Store, was nabbed late Monday evening

Hooch tragedy: Death toll in Punjab spurious liquor case rises to 62

The death toll in the Punjab spurious liquor tragedy rose to 62 on Saturday as 23 more casualties were reported from the state's Tarn Taran district, officials said

Punjab hooch tragedy: Death toll rises to 39, two more arrested in Amritsar

The death toll in the hooch tragedy in Punjab rose to 39 on Saturday, as two more people were arrested in Amritsar for their alleged involvement in selling spurious liquor, a police official said