At least 39 dead in India’s Bihar after drinking toxic alcohol

 

At least 39 people have died and many other people are hospitalised in Bihar, a state in India, after drinking toxic alcohol. A local official confirmed the news on Thursday.

The deaths occurred Tuesday and Wednesday in Bihar. The victims belonged to three villages in the Saran district of Bihar, where liquor consumption is banned. Many people allegedly consumed spurious liquor at a local shop and fell ill after returning home.

Men in the Saran district began vomiting on Tuesday. Subsequently, they were taken to the hospital. However, many people died on the way to the hospital. Other people died while getting treatment at the hospital on Wednesday and Thursday. Police officer Santosh Kumar reportedly said that several of the 20 hospitalised people have lost their eyesight. He also said that authorities cracked down on illicit alcohol shops.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said that "If someone consumes liquor, they will die — an example is before us.” He expressed grief over the Saran district's Chapra area tragedy.

Bihar introduced a ban on liquor consumption in 2016. Bihar CM said, “The liquor ban has benefitted several people. A large number of people have given up alcohol...This is good.”

Reportedly, the police arrested at least 126 people in the last 48 hours. Dr Gopal Krishna, the head of the primary health centre in Saran, said at least 55 people with multiple illnesses reported to the hospital.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protested the death of 39 people. Several opposition parties also held demonstrations outside the Bihar state legislature building. They criticized the Nitish Kumar-led government over its failure to impose a ban on liquor in Bihar. They also demanded monetary compensation for the victims of the Saran district's Chapra area tragedy. They reportedly said, “We have always supported the ban on liquor. However, its implementation has been a complete failure.”