Seven people have died after allegedly consuming illicit alcohol in Bihar’s West Champaran district, despite the state’s alcohol ban. The deaths occurred in the Lauriya area, with the first reported on January 15, but authorities only became aware of the situation on January 19. By then, all seven victims had been cremated, making it difficult to determine the exact cause of death.
Local residents believe the deaths were caused by spurious liquor, but police have stated that at least two of the deaths were unrelated. One person died in a tractor accident, and another from a paralytic attack. The cause of the remaining five deaths is still unclear, and authorities have launched an investigation.
A family member of one of the deceased claimed that his brother and a friend consumed the alcohol together, leading to their deaths.
Bihar imposed a statewide alcohol ban in 2016 under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership, but incidents involving toxic liquor continue to occur. Despite this, the alcohol ban has had some positive effects, such as reducing alcohol consumption and intimate partner violence in the state.
Bihar had been a significant consumer of alcohol before the ban, with high rates of alcohol use among men.
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