Nitish Kumar said action is being taken against people who prepare spurious liquor. (Representational)
Raids are being conducted in 60 locations in Bihar's Gopalganj district and 19 people have been arrested so far in connection with the hooch tragedy in the district in which 11 people have died and four are under treatment after allegedly consuming spurious liquor, informed police on Friday.
"So far 11 people have died in suspicious condition while four people are still ill. After the incident raids have been conducted at 60 places in the district in the last 24 hours. In which 19 people have been arrested and six vehicles have been seized," said Anand Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Gopalganj.
The District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police of Gopalganj also held a meeting with security guards, police officials and district officials on Friday. Suggestions were made in the meeting regarding strict implementation of the alcohol prohibition law and the general role of watchmen in implementing it, informed district officials.
"After the liquor incident in Gopalganj, a meeting was held with all the security guards, SHO, SDM, SDPO, ADM and DDC of the district to strictly implement the Prohibition Act. Elaborate preparations have been made to ensure that an incident does not happen again. The effect of which will be seen on a wider scale in four to five days," said Nawal Kishore Choudhary, District Magistrate, Gopalganj.
Earlier today, State Minister Sunil Kumar said, "A total of 21 people including 10 people in Bettiah and 11 people in Gopalganj have died due to consumption of spurious liquor."
He further informed that two more people are suspected to be dead due to the consumption of spurious liquor in Bettiah. However, it cannot be confirmed yet as their post mortem reports are still awaited.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had said that action is being taken against people who prepare spurious liquor.
Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav had earlier termed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's liquor ban law as "complete failure."