PATNA: In a first in dry Bihar, the special excise-cum-ADJ-II court pronounced capital punishment for nine accused and life imprisonment for four others over the hooch tragedy in Gopalganj district five years ago.
The hooch tragedy occurred in August 2016 in Bihar’s Gopalganj district in which 19 people had died and six others lost their eye sight.
The police after conducting a through investigation had submitted charge sheets against 14 persons while one of them had died during the investigation.
On Friday, the special excise-cum-ADJ-II court of Gopalganj after holding the named accused guilty a week ago pronounced the quantum of judgements including death sentences to nine accused and life imprisonment to four women accused.
All the convicts were found involved in the trading, manufacturing and smuggling of spurious illicit liquor at Khajurbai under the Gopalganj town PS in 2016 after the hooch tragedy.
The Gopalganj hooch tragedy had occurred after the state enforced prohibition with effect from April 5 in 2016.
Official sources said that those awarded capital punishment included Chhatu Pasi, Kanhaiya Pasi, Nagina Pasi, Lalbabu Pasi, Rajesh Pasi, Sanoj Pasi, Sanjay Chaudhary, Ranjay Chaudhary and Munna Chaudhary -- all residents of Khajurbani of the city police station. Those convicted with life imprisonment included Laljhari Devi, Kailaso Devi, Rita Devi and Indu Devi.