Huge quantities of toxic liquor have been seized from 600 places in Bihar's Motihari (Representational)
The death count in a suspected illicit liquor or hooch tragedy in Bihar's East Champaran district rose to 27 today with one more person losing his life after consuming the toxic liquor in Bihar's Motihari, police said.
At least 20 others are battling for their lives at Sadar and different hospitals in the district, a senior officer said.
"The death count has now gone up to 27. The district police have sent nine bodies for the forensic examinations. The police have so far registered five cases and arrested 174 people as part of the investigation into the matter," said a statement issued by the district police late on Monday night.
The local administration has served notices to seven officials of the state prohibition department, seeking explanations from them in connection with the suspected hooch incident in the district.
Station House Officers of Turkauliya, Harsiddhi, Sugauli, Raghunathpur and Paharpur in Motihari, where deaths of people after allegedly consuming illicit liquor were first reported on April 15, were suspended for "dereliction of duties".
Besides, disciplinary actions have already been taken against 11 more police personnel, including nine chgowkidars', the officer said.
Huge quantities of toxic liquor and other related chemicals have been seized during searches at more than 600 places in different parts of Bihar's Motihari since April 15.
"The police have so far recovered 1,729.53 litres of country-made liquor, 50 litres of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) spirit and 2,220 litres of other chemicals used in the manufacturing of illicit alcohol during searches at different locations in the district," the statement said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had on Monday made a U-turn on paying compensation to the victims of hooch tragedies in dry Bihar and announced conditional payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those who died after drinking toxic liquor since 2016 when the prohibition policy was launched.
The state government imposed a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol on April 5, 2016.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)