Seven people have died in Bihar’s West Champaran district after allegedly consuming spurious liquor, as per news agency PTI. The deaths, which occurred over several days, have led to an investigation by local authorities. The first fatality was reported on January 15, but it was not until Sunday that police were made aware of the deaths, by which time all the victims had already been cremated.
Superintendent of Police Shaurya Suman confirmed that the deaths occurred in the Lauriya police station area. While locals have blamed the fatalities on hooch, the SP stated that not all of the deaths were caused by illicit alcohol. He explained that one individual was hit by a tractor, while another died from a paralytic attack. Authorities are still trying to determine the exact cause of the remaining five deaths.
West Champaran’s Deputy Development Commissioner, Sumit Kumar, noted that the cremation of the bodies has made it difficult to ascertain the cause of death. An investigation team has been set up to probe the incident, with a report expected within 24 hours. The team will also work to identify the victims who died in the past few days.
A family member of one of the deceased confirmed that his brother, Pradeep, had consumed alcohol with his friend, Manish, before both died. The deaths have raised concerns about the effectiveness of Bihar’s alcohol ban, which was implemented in 2016 under chief minister Nitish Kumar. In 2024, the state reported that over 150 deaths had been linked to illicit liquor since the enforcement of the alcohol ban.
Local authorities have formed ten teams of medical professionals to assist in the investigation. SP Shaurya Suman said that further details would emerge after the report, adding that the victims’ ages varied and the deaths occurred on different days.
