16 feared dead in West Champaran ‘hooch tragedy’

BETTIAH: At least 16 persons are feared dead in a suspected hooch tragedy in West Champaran on Wednesday. Even as villagers in grief carried out cremations and burials quietly since Wednesday across several villages, the rising death toll since then sparked fearful messages apprehending a larger head count by Thursday evening.
Even as local reporters went on a wild goose hunt in response to the mounting word of mouth reports, TOI was able to gather the names of sixteen suspected casualties by the time of filing this report late on Thursday night.
Champaran Range DIG Lallan Mohan Prasad told TOI that he too had received information that many people had succumbed after consuming hooch at Deorwa Deoraj village under Lauriya police station. "We are verifying the report," he guardedly said.
Mohammad Javed, PACS chief and former mukhiya of Telpur, soon tapped his deep social network across different villages in the area to gather a list of 16 dead. Sharing the names of the deceased, he told TOI over phone, "There is palpable fear that the toll may rise or be more than 20-25."
The rising death toll across villages since Wednesday set the cluster of over dozen villages in the Deoraj region spread from Lauriya PS to Ramnagar PS (the latter in Bagaha police district) agog with stories alleging mockery of Bihar’s prohibition law that is in force since 2016. "Now people are talking of several hooch outlets in the area," Javed said, adding that villagers are mentioning three outlets in Deorwa itself. "One of these is/was run by one Thug Sah. In fact, these Deorwa ‘bhattis’ (hooch bars) even outsourced liquor to one Kisun Ram of Baswaria," he summed by the grapevine running viral in the area on Thursday after reports of casualties spread.
Binod Kushwaha of Hardia, a newspaper vendor who peddles through Deoraj villages each morning, said: "People have quietly buried or cremated the dead." Echoing Kushwaha, Javed told TOI: "People in fear of police reprisal hurried with the last rites."
A list of the sixteen suspect hooch victims, collated by Javed with inputs from different villages reads: Bikau Ansari (45), Ram Briksh Pasi (35), Lateef Mian (60) -- all from Deorwa; Suresh Turha (50), Naim Mian (70), Basisth Soni (40), Hira Lal Dom (45) from Jogia; Bhuttu Mian (30), Tej Mohammad (65) and Jawahir Mian (50) from Sabeya; Amirul Sah (25) from Baswaria, Ratul Mian (55) from Bagahi, Julphan Mian (38) from Dumra, Ijahrul Ansari (45) and Jhunna Mian (35) from Gabnaha and Arun Pandey alias Bhagwan Panda from Panda Patti.
What is feared to be common amongst the deceased is they allegedly frequented the hooch joints at Deorwa. "As one after the other spread in different villages fell ill, they were rushed for private treatment and avoided government hospitals," Javed said, adding that one Izhar Mian from his own Telpur village was availing treatment at a private hospital in Bettiah. "Two victims -- Bhartari Sah (65) and Firoz Mian (45) -- have fortunately returned home in Sabeya after treatment," he said. "Those who have recovered shall tell the full story," he added.
CPI(ML) leader Sunil Rao expressed shock at the reported casualties. "We will send a team to get the report from the ground tomorrow," he said.
Congress leader Shashwat Kedar said the state’s prohibition policy stands exposed. "The CM should adopt the policy of raising education and awareness levels to curb alcohol abuse just as he advocates for population control," Kedar told TOI.