Nawada hooch case: SHO, S-I axed, seven FIRs lodged

A three-member team, comprising IG (prohibition), excise commissioner and joint excise commissioner, dispatched from here to Nawada on April 2 for looking into the recent deaths in the central Bihar district after alleged consumption of spurious liquor have on Saturday accepted that the deaths were caused due to poisonous liquor, besides administrative loopholes and negligence

A three-member team, comprising IG (prohibition), excise commissioner and joint excise commissioner, dispatched from here to Nawada on April 2 for looking into the recent deaths in the central Bihar district after alleged consumption of spurious liquor have on Saturday accepted that the deaths were caused due to poisonous liquor, besides administrative loopholes and negligence.

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Excise commissioner B Kartikye Dhanji said that prima facie evidences suggest that the deaths were caused due to consumption of poisonous liquor and nobody will be spared for the same. “On the basis of intelligence inputs, simultaneous raids and searches, team members found spurious liquor as the reason behind their death”, said Dhanji, adding that they are waiting for further details of four autopsy reports for hooch confirmation.

Meanwhile, town station house officer (SHO) T N Tiwari and sub-inspector (S-I) Nagendra Prasad weresuspended on Sunday while chowkidar Vikas Mishra was axed on Saturday on charges of dereliction of duty. Besides, seven FIRs were lodged with the town police station in this connection while eight persons have been detained for interrogation.

Nawada DM Yashpal Meena said the administration has suspended the SHO and the chowkidar over dereliction of duty. Besides Nawada, two deaths, suspected to be from hooch poisoning, have also been reported from Begusarai and five from Rohtas during Holi

IG Amrit Raj said that samples of liquor from the villages have also been collected after raids and they would be also sent for forensic analysis to know if they were poisonous. He said on his directions, a separate special investigation team (SIT) has been formed by the DM and SP to probe the cases registered in connection with the deaths. “Another SIT is already looking into the overall matter,” he added.

Over 15 persons fell ill after consuming spurious liquor on Holi. The officials also met the victims who are being treated at the Nawada sadar hospital. They listened to all public representatives and assured them for appropriate action in the matter.

Dhanji said that they would submit their finding report to the State government on April 5, following which strict actions can be taken in the case.

Three-member team of officials, IG Amrit Raj, Dhanji and Krishan Paswan, was dispatched to Nawada on the directive of chief minister Nitish Kumar for looking into the deaths of 16 persons including an 18-year-old after alleged consumption of spurious liquor. Four persons lost their vision after consumption of spurious liquor. In the autopsy report of 18-year-old Akash Kumar from Gondapur village, heart attack was mentioned as the reason for his death.