Bihar police bust illegal liquor-making unit in Patna

Patna (Bihar) [India], December 19 : With the death toll in the Saran hooch tragedy rising to 72, the Bihar Police on Monday conducted a raid at an illegal liquor manufacturing unit operating in an open space near Danapur railway station in Patna.
Hundreds of plastic containers containing Mahua kept with chemicals were collected from underground by the police team.
According to the police, the accused people were fermenting Mahua at the unit.
The whole manufacturing unit was hidden underground so that the police could not find it easily. Although, no one was found operating the illegal liquor manufacturing unit.
ASI Anil Kumar Singh of Rupaspur police station said, "As soon as we got the information, we came here and destroyed them. Liquor was prepared using Mahua. No one has been arrested yet, further action is on."
The death toll in the Saran hooch tragedy has risen to 72 on December 18. The numbers can go up as several people are still hospitalised.
Meanwhile, five persons including the Isuapur Police Station House Officer have been suspended in connection with the case.
Saran Superintendent of Police (SP) Santosh Kumar has suspended Isuapur Station House Officer Sanjay Ram, Chowkidar Hari Rai, Dafadar Krisha Singh and Chowkidar Ramnath Manjhi of Mashrakh police station with immediate effect on the charges of dereliction of duty.
Masrakh SHO Ritesh Mishra and constable Vikesh Tiwari had been suspended on Thursday on the recommendation of Marhaura Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Yogendra Kumar.
An intensive investigation has been launched into the activities of many other police officers and personnel.
On Saturday the death toll in the Chapra hooch tragedy touched 70.
The matter was taken up in Bihar Assembly.
The Opposition, led by the BJP, took on the ruling JD(U)-RJD combined over the rising hooch deaths despite a ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in the state, which has been in effect since April 2016.
Amid severe criticism from the Opposition, led by the BJP, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said that no compensation will be given if a person dies after consuming spuri hdous liquor.
"No compensation will be provided to people who die after consuming spurious liquor. We have been appealing to you not to drink. If you drink, you will die. Those who speak against prohibition will not bring any good to the people," the Bihar CM said in the Assembly on Friday.
Meanwhile, in Chhapra's adjoining district Siwan at least 5 people were reported to have died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor.
All five deceased are residents of Brahsthan and Sondhani villages of the Bhagwanpur Police Station area.
The deceased have been identified as Mahesh Rai (40), Sambhu Yadav (36), Amir Manjhi (45), and Awadh Manjhi (36) of Brahmasthan Village while Ramendra Pandit hailed from Sondhani village.
Also in the Begusarai district, the administration swung into action after one person reportedly died allegedly after consuming liquor.