Satish Aditya
Gopalgunj : The death toll in hooch tragedy at village Mathiya Mushahartoli under Bijayipur police station (PS) in Gopalganj
District in North Bihar increased to 5 on February 19, 2021. while two persons have gone blind. Gopalganj DM Nawal Kishor Chaudhary, however, confirmed death of only two persons: Karma Panna, 50, and Budhdhua Panna, both Brickkiln workers, on February 17, 2021, due to suspected liquor poisoning.
Gopalganj SP Anand Kumar said that Manoj Kumar, SHO, Bijayipur police station, and Amresh Yadav, ,Chowkidar, have been placed t
under suspension for dereliction of duty. Sanjit Kumar has been appointed SHO, Bijayipur PS. Police are conducting raids at different villages including two houses in Bijayipur in this connection. However, no one has been arrested so far in this case. According to police, the deceased belonged to Gumala District in Jharkhand and worked at a Brick kiln at Majhauliya village under Bijayipur police station. They had complained of abdominal pain and breathlessness and died within 4 hours . They had returned at Brick -kiln in late night on that day from adjoining market.
DM Chaudhary said that at least 12 people from Gumala were working at the Brickkiln. The bodies were sent to Gumala
by ambulance. The exact reason behind the deaths would become clear from the post-mortem and viscera report which were yet to be submitted by the health department to district administration.