More Deaths due to Consumption of Illicit Liquor in "Dry" Bihar, Most Victims from OBC and Dalit Communities

Patna: In dry Bihar, poor people have been dying after allegedly consuming "desi" illicit liquor, available freely at cheaper rates in rural areas- a trend that has continued after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had imposed the total liquor prohibition in the state in April 2016.

The illicit liquor consumption has again claimed the lives of more than 40 people, mostly poor belonging to OBC (Other Backward Classes) and dalits communities, during three days of Holi celebrations in different districts.

After Bhagalpur, Banka and Madhepura, more people have lost lives after allegedly consuming illicit liquor in Siwan district on Monday. The series of incidents since Friday has exposed the ground reality of the Kumar-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government's failure to check and control the illicit liquor trade.

The hooch tragedies were reported in the state despite the much-hyped use of drones, helicopters and motorboats against illegal liquor manufacturing and smuggling of liquor.

As per reports, at least 22 have allegedly died after consuming illicit liquor in different villages in Bhagalpur, 12 in Banka, three in Madhepura and five in Siwan since March 18.

According to villagers and the victims' families, they consumed locally-made liquor, popularly known as Mahua-Daru, during Holi. Soon they complained of uneasiness, stomach pain, vomiting and weakness. Some of them died even before reaching the hospital. Fearing police action, some families cremated the victims without a postmortem.

It has created fresh havoc among local villagers and police officials as the festival of colour, Holi, ended with tragedy and snatched livelihood earners for the dozens of poverty-stricken families.

However, the district administrations are yet to confirm these hooch incidents, similar to their comments in the recent past. The police have said they have been probing the incidents and described the deaths as "mysterious" and "suspected"; they await the postmortem reports before reaching a conclusion.

ADG police headquarters Jitendar Singh Gangwar claimed that people have died due to illness and other causes and refuted the reports of deaths due to consumption of illicit liquor.

"Most of the Illicit liquor's victims in the dry state are poor people. It is they who are facing the brunt of a failed liquor prohibition. In the last few years, illicit liquor has become a synonym for the death of the poor in Bihar. Instead of curbing the liquor mafia, the poor are being punished through the draconian Prohibition Act," said Ranjeev, a social activist.

Ranjeev said rich and powerful are consuming costly foreign-made liquor, unlike the poor who are going for cheaper desi-made liquor risking their lives. The country-made and foreign liquor are readily available everywhere, and influential liquor traders are ensuring home delivery on demand thanks to nexus with authorities.

In the last three months this year, since January, nearly a dozen hooch incidents have been reported that claimed the lives of the poor, including farm labourers. In January 2022, illicit liquor consumption claimed the lives of 13 people in Kumar's home district of Nalanda; 18 people died in Saran district after consuming illicit liquor and at least six people in the Buxar district. These hooch incidents were reported two months after 45 died in November during Diwali and Chhath festivals.

Last year, illicit liquor had claimed 95 lives in the state- a big embarrassment for Kumar that prompted his ruling ally BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) to question how the liquor mafia was freely doing business everywhere despite the much-hyped police operation to ensure prohibition.

RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) leader Tejashwi Yadav, also the opposition leader in the Assembly, targeted Kumar and termed liquor prohibition a failure.

Yadav tweeted, "In dry Bihar, at least 37 people died due to spurious liquor in the last two days despite prohibition by the double engine government of NDA. In the last six months, more than 200 people died due to consuming illicit liquor. Chief minister, state government, and administration are completely corrupt and unsuccessful. Due to their failures, liquor is available everywhere in the state."

Yadav further said that no action has been taken against top officials, and the government is busy flying drones and helicopters in search of illicit liquor.

Senior Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan, MLA from Kadwa, said the government failed to implement prohibition beyond paper. The poor have been dying due to the consumption of freely available spurious liquor during the last few months.

Khan asked Kumar how liquor is readily available in the dry state and how the liquor consignments' free flow continues in different districts that are not connected with any border of other states or neighbouring country Nepal.

Left parties- Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)- condemned the insensitive and irresponsible attitude of the state government towards recent deaths in hooch incidents.

"Illicit liquor trade is flourishing in the state with the protection of the state power and help of the police. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar must be aware of this ground reality. After how many deaths then, will he be awakened?" asked the left leaders.

Left parties leaders dared the state government to probe into the politician-administration-liquor mafia nexus. This nexus, they claim, is behind the production and sale of illicit and spurious liquor. Instead of curbing the liquor mafia, the poor are being punished through the draconian Prohibition Act.

The leaders said that the government should stop using the prohibition law as a weapon to repress and oppress the poor and override proper medical treatment and de-addiction programs for persons who are addicted by opening description centres.

Ironically, the slew of cases is being reported from a state where manufacture, storage, transportation, sale and consumption of alcohol or liquor have been banned for the last six years.

Noticeably, in the past, Kumar has repeatedly reiterated stringent action against bootleggers and directed the state's top police officers to identify persons engaged in selling and consuming liquor.