Gopalganj DM indicates action against police, excise personnel

Law Kumar Mishra

Patna: With the death toll rising in Gopalganj liquor tragedy, district magistrate Rahul Kumar on Thursday evening indicated action would be taken against some excise and police officials for their negligence and connivance in sale of liquor despite total ban since April 5.
Preliminary investigations have confirmed local police officials and personnel of excise department were regular customers of the two liquor traders of Gopalganj even after ban. Customers of the shop at Khajoorbani claimed they had seen policemen in uniforms coming to the shop for drinks. Two bootleggers arrested for violation of liquor ban had again become active immediately after their release. The deaths occured due to the supply of liquor from their shops.
Gopakganj police have filed FIRs against 14 people,of them seven have been arrested. Mohammad Jabbar Alam, brother of Md Nasir Alam,who died due to consumption of liquor, at Patna medical College Hospital on Thursday said his brother had consumed liquor from the shop at Khajoorbani. Md Nasir (25) and Munna Kumar(28), who were admitted to the hospital on August 17 night, died on Thursday.
The DM on Thursday admitted deaths were caused due to consumption of illicit liquor though the assistant commissioner of Excise K K Mandal had claimed in written statement they died due to consumption of sulfas .