Satish Aditya
Bettiah : Champaran Range DIG Lalan Mohan Prasad on July 17, 2021, said that 16 persons have been arrested including the son of
Hooch kingpin Thug Sah for their alleged involvement sale of Hooch in Deoraj area under Lauriya and Ramnagar police stations in West
Champaran and Bagaha police districts respectively. Raids are on to nab more persons involved in illegal sale of liquor, the DIG said.
Meanwhile, SHO of Lauriya police station, and three Chowkidars have been placed under suspension in connection with the Hooch tragedy in which over one dozen people died on July 15, 2021. All the police officers and constables posted in Lauriya police station were shifted to the district police line. This follows a joint inquiry by West Champaran DM Kundan Kumar and Bagaha SP Gorakh Kumar Jadhav, who is deputising for on leave West Champaran SP, into the Hooch tragedy.
Dr Sanjay Jaiswal, MP, Paschimi Champaran, and Bihar BJP President, has demanded a high level inquiry into the Hooch tragedy and stern action against those responsible for it.
On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi, BJP MLA from Bettiah, has denied the report that that more than two dozen persons had died after consuming spurious liquor saying post-mortem of the deceased was not performed. The state BJP appears divided over the isssue.
According to report, Bhakt Charan Das, Incharge, State Congress Unit, will visit West Champaran on July 18, 2021, and meet the
family members of deceased.