Saran hooch tragedy: Two arrested for supplying illicit liquor

The two accused have several cases piled up against them related to illicit liquor manufacturing and smuggling, police said.

PATNA: Two people allegedly linked to the liquor mafia were arrested in connection with the Saran hooch tragedy, which has claimed 70 lives till now, police said.

Families of victims at Masrakh village in Saran district. (HT Photo)

According to police, a sum of ₹2.17 lakh cash along with a register having records of transportation and manufacturing of illicit liquor consignment from Panapur, a riverine area in Saran district, was also seized.

Though the two arrested are not named in the first information reports (FIR) lodged at Mashrakh and Ishuapur police stations in connection with the deaths, their involvement was ascertained during the course of investigations by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the last few days, police said.

Saran Superintendent of Police(SP) Santosh Kumar said that those arrested have been identified as Akhilesh Kumar Yadav alias Akhilesh Rai and Anil Singh.

“Akhilesh Rai, a resident of Panapur police station, is the main operator of the liquor smuggling trade from outside Bihar while Anil Singh’s involvement came to light during Rai’s interrogation,” the SP said. He said that the initial interrogation of the two accused revealed that they had brought spirit from Uttar Pradesh and it was used in manufacturing spurious liquor, which was consumed in large quantity by villagers leading to the alleged deaths in Saran district.

The two accused have several cases piled up against them related to illicit liquor manufacturing and smuggling, the SP said.

The SP said that Rai is facing over six liquor-related cases while four cases are lodged against Anil with the Masrakh and Ishuapur police stations. “We are also looking into all their case histories and their network in the supply of illicit liquor,” the SP said.

So far, 70 persons have died in the tragedy, according to locals while the Saran administration has confirmed the deaths of 38 persons, so far.

The state government, facing flak from the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the incident, had constituted an SIT to probe the hooch tragedy and those behind the brewing illicit liquor business. Police have been conducting raids at various places in Chhapra and nearby areas to arrest suspected illicit liquor traders.

Police sources said the SIT has also detained several suspected liquor smugglers and is interrogating them. “We are also interrogating a few other suspects to ascertain how the illicit liquor was being sold in Saran,” the SP said.

The Saran police lodged two separate FIRs against 13 named persons with the Masrakh and Ishuapur police stations on the basis of the statements of the SHOs.

Incidentally, three of the named accused involved in the liquor smuggling/trading identified as--Kunal Singh, Ramji Shah, and Mukesh Singh-- have died in the alleged hooch incident, police investigation has revealed.