Bihar: Toll from suspected hooch deaths in Motihari rises to 27; 5 SHOs suspended

East Champaran (Bihar) [India], April 18 (ANI): The toll in Bihar's Motihari due to suspected consumption of hooch or spurious liquor climbed to 27, police informed on Monday.
Further, according to the police, Motihari Superintendent of Police (SP) Kantesh Kumar Mishra suspended 5 station house officers (SHOs), 2 Anti-Liquor Task Force (ALTF) personnel and 9 police watchmen (chowkidars) in the wake of the suspected hooch deaths.
Meanwhile, former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi welcomed the state government's decision to announce relief for the affected families of the victims.
"We welcome Nitish Kumar's decision to allot Rs 4 lakh each as compensation to the next-of-kin of the dead," Modi said.
However, while welcoming the announcement of relief for the bereaved kin, the senior BJP leader blamed the suspected hooch deaths on the Nitish government.
"CM Nitish Kumar and his government are responsible for the incident as in 1 year, 16 such incidents have taken place in the state resulting in the loss of 300 lives," he said.
Meanwhile, the police said they have, so far, arrested 174 people in connection with the latest wave of the suspected hooch deaths, adding that 1729.53 litres of country liquor and 49.855 litres of English liquor were seized as well during raids.
On Monday, Nitish Kumar said his government would provide Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, provided they give an undertaking in favour of a liquor ban in the state.
"This is a sad incident. We'll provide Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased from the CM Relief Fund. But they should also give us an undertaking in writing that they are in favour of the liquor ban currently in force in the state and that they are against liquor addiction," the Bihar CM said.
The sale and consumption of alcohol were banned in Bihar by the Nitish government in April 2016. (ANI)