In a tragic incident, four persons including a 72-year-old retired circle inspector were killed while two others suffered from loss of vision after allegedly consuming poisonous liquor at two villages under of Rohtas district in Bihar.
However, the administration says only one death has occurred.
Three people identified as Sonu Singh, Ajay Singh and Jitendra Shah died on Saturday.
Retired circle inspector Shravan Ram (72) died during treatment on Sunday, according to locals.
Munna Sah and Shivji Sah suffered from vision loss. Sah was referred to PMCH at Patna and is in a critical condition.
The family of the other three deceased, however, denied they had consumed liquor.
All four had consumed the spurious liquor at Jayshree village, locals said.
Rana Pratap, the son of retired circle inspector suspected that his father had consumed poisonous liquor.
A case was registered against unidentified liquor sellers and post mortem examination on the body of Ram was conducted to ascertain the cause of death, superintendent of police, Ashish Bharti said.
Officials under sub divisional magistrate Upendra Kumar Pal and sub divisional police officer Shashi Bhushan Single were camping in the area and conducting raids against the liquor mafia.
Twelve mafia members were arrested and 212 litres of liquor were seized in two days, Bharti said.
The BJP attacked the state government over the deaths and called for review of prohibition policy.
“Now four people have died at Rohtas. The local police are pressurising villagers to admit it as a natural death. Under whose patronage are these liquor mafia flourishing. CM should review the whole prohibition policy and its implementation,” said BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand.
Despite regular raids, arrest and recovery by officials, the liquor consumption and deaths remain unabated.
At least, 24 persons were killed and several lost their vision after consuming poisonous liquor in adjacent Aurangabad and Gaya districts in the last week of May this year.
