
Suspected hooch kills 10 in dry Bihar during Holi
The Hindu
Eight deaths have been reported in Bhagalpur district and the remaining in different villages in Narayanpur police station area
At least 10 deaths in two districts of dry Bihar have been blamed by locals on suspected consumption of spurious liquor during Holi celebrations, police said on Sunday.
Eight deaths have been reported in Bhagalpur district, including four in Sahibganj locality of Bhagalpur town and the remaining in different villages in Narayanpur police station area.
Narayanpur SHO Ramesh Sah said that only after post-mortem examination could he confirm whether the deceased had consumed hooch.
He also claimed that one of the deceased had, apparently, suffered a heart attack and another had a fall while climbing up a ladder.
Rita Kumari, SHO of University police station under which Sahibganj falls, similarly said that illicit liquor consumption could be confirmed only after an autopsy.
One Sahibganj resident lost his eyesight and is being treated at a hospital. Locals vented their ire on Sunday morning by burning tyres on the road. Traffic resumed after police had a word with them.