Bihar: Toll rises to 26 in Gopalganj and West Champaran hooch poisoning incidents

PATNA: At least 26 persons – 10 in Gopalganj and 16 in West Champaran districts of dry Bihar – have allegedly died from consumption of poisonous hooch from Wednesday to Friday night. However, the official death toll is 23 at present.
In 2 days, 24 dead in twin hooch tragedies in dry Bihar
Around 16 persons of which four are from Gopalganj and rest from West Champaran are "officially" under treatment who fell ill after consuming the same poisonous liquor with those who have died.
The deaths in Mohammadpur village under the same police station area in Gopalganj district started taking place from Wednesday while deaths in different wards of Dakshin Telhua under Nautan police station area of West Champaran started taking place from Thursday morning.
Medical teams and ambulances are deployed in affected villages of both districts and appeals are being made to people to come forward without fear to get treated if they had consumed poisonous liquor and are feeling ill, as per authorities.
Though the official death toll is 23, sources said toll could be as high as 35 combining both incidents as it is being reported that family members of several deceased cremated bodies fearing police action.
Overall, at least 92 persons in 15 hooch poisoning incidents in Bihar have died till now from January. This includes the Mohammadpur and Dakshin Telhua incidents too.
Sources said actual death toll this year is much beyond 100 instead of 91 with several deaths either unreported or remaining unnoticed by media.
The initial death toll in Gopalganj was four even reported by TOI but has now increased to 10 with six more deaths taking place till Thursday night.
Gopalganj SP Anand Kumar told this newspaper that altogether 18 persons from multiple police station areas have been arrested till now who were involved in the supply chain of poisonous liquor.
"Three of them are those directly linked with the Mohammadpur hooch deaths," he said.
He said that Mohammadpur police station SHO and Mohammadpur village chowkidar have been suspended.
The SP said appeals are being made to people to come forward for treatment without fearing any action.
When asked, West Champaran DM Kundan Kumar while talking to TOI over phone said overall nine deaths took place from Thursday morning to night.
"Three more deaths took place on Friday morning taking the overall toll to 12. A few of them died in the course of treatment at hospital. Some were referred to PMCH but they also later perished," the DM said.
He said at least three medical teams with ambulances have been kept deployed in the affected village.
"Villagers are being urged not to fear and come out for treatment in case they are feeling ill and have consumed liquor. An SDM rank officer has been deployed at GMCH where ill persons are undergoing treatment," he said.
The DM said that none of the ill persons have till now turned blind from side-effects of poisonous hooch consumption. Kumar said that at least four persons accused in the hooch deaths have been arrested till Friday morning and raids are going on.
Bettiah SDPO Mukul Parimal Pandey said that at least 12 persons are ill and they are still under treatment in different hospitals.
"At least two of the accused who had prepared the hooch, are among the deceased persons as they had also consumed the hooch," he said.
Names of deceased in Gopalganj: Santosh Sah, Chote Lal Prasad, Mukesh Ram, Suraj Ram, Balram Ram, Chandrama Ram, Indrajit Ram, Rajesh Ram, all of Mohammadpur, Durga Sharma of Balra in Sidhhwalia, all in Gopalganj and one Chote Lal Soni of Rasauli in Mashrakh, Saran.
Names of deceased in West Champaran: Jawahar Sahni (ward no. 2), Mukesh Paswan, Umashankar Sah, Sikandar Ram, Thug Paswan, Mangni Ram, Madan Ram, Vikash Ram, Dhanilal Ram, Ramprakash Ram, Jhakkhar Ram (all of ward no. 3), Maharaj Yadav and Bacchha Yadav (ward no. 4), Hanumat Singh (ward no. 10) and Hashim Khan (ward no. 11), Dakshin Telhua.