Bihar: Liquor mafia attacks police in Aurangabad; SI, two constables injured

A liquor smuggler had been arrested, and an SUV along with 20 litres of illegal liquor were seized from the place, the police said

A police sub-inspector (SI) was critically injured, and two constables sustained minor injuries when goons of a liquor mafia attacked a team of police personnel who were conducting raids at Gheura village under Risiyap police station limits of Aurangabad district late on Sunday.

A JCB machine crushes liquor bottles seized in Patna, Bihar. (Santosh Kumar/ HT File Photo)

Injured SI Wazir Alam, who suffered multiple fractures, was referred to a higher medical institution. A liquor smuggler had been arrested, and an SUV along with 20 litres of illegal liquor were seized from the place, the police said.

Risiyap SHO Sanjay Kumar said that the mafia had buried the liquor containers in the fields outside Gheura village. A police team led by Alam acted on a tip-off and reached the place to seize the liquor when dozens of goons attacked them with stones and other weapons.

The SI and constables sent SOS requests to senior officers, following which reinforcements from Aurangabad and nearby Amba and Simara police stations rushed to the spot and rescued the team.

The mafia goons fled from the village as soon as reinforcements arrived. The police then raided the village and arrested alleged smuggler Sonu Paswan.

The police have registered a case under sections 307 (murderous attack), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code and under the Excise Act. Raids are on to identify and arrest the mafia goons, SHO Kumar said.

The incidents of liquor mafia’s attack on policemen have been on the rise in Aurangabad. The then Kutumba SHO Kamlesh Paswan and station manager Gangesh Kumar had a narrow escape but fractured their hands and legs after goons ran over then in an SUV with the intention to kill them during a raid on NH-139.

Earlier, the mafia also tried to crush and kill the then Amba SHO JK Bharti and Risiyap SHO Ashutosh Kumar.

Last week, probationer SI Akash Kumar and Dinesh Kumar of Amba police station were critically injured near Batane canal bridge while chasing a wanted liquor mafia. Both are still battling for life.