PATNA: 'Hooch' claimed five more lives in Bihar, where liquor was banned in 2016.
The latest tragedy has been reported from Rohtas district where five persons, including two brothers, lost their lives after consuming spurious liquor since Diwali.
The victims have been identified as Manish Singh (40), Sanjay Yadav (40), Dhananjay Singh (40), Buddhu Paswan (28), and his brother Chandan Paswan (24).
Sukhnandan Paswan, the brother of two victims, is battling for his life in a local hospital.
Local residents told police that Sanjay Yadav's health deteriorated soon after he returned home in an inebriated condition on Diwali night. The next day, two more residents—Buddhu Paswan and Manish Singh—developed similar symptoms including vomiting and breathing trouble.
The trio died at a local nursing home during treatment on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. Sanjay Singh and Dhananjay Paswan died in the wee hours of Wednesday. The death of five persons at Barki Kharari and Pahari villages left local residents shocked.
Narottam Chandra, station house officer (SHO) of Kargahar police station under whose jurisdiction the two villages fall, however, confirmed the death of only three people and attributed the reason to an 'unidentified disease'.
“The investigation is underway. The statement of family members of victims has been recorded,” SHO Chandra told this newspaper over the phone on Wednesday.
Local residents alleged that the victims were habitual addicts. Rohtas SP Ashish Bharti said that action would be taken against officers concerned once it is established that the deaths were due to illicit liquor consumption.
In August this year, at least 9 people died and 17 people lost their eyesight in a hooch tragedy in Bihar's Saran district.
More than 50 people have reportedly died in hooch tragedies in the state since November last year.