Motihari: The toll in the hooch tragedy in East Champaran rose to five with the death of four more people on Friday. Police said nine people are undergoing treatment, while seven others have been discharged from different hospitals. These people had allegedly consumed spurious liquor and spirit between Tuesday and Wednesday in the Turkauliya and Raghunathpur police station areas of the district.Chandu Kumar, 25, a three-wheeler driver from Raghunathpur, was the first to die on Wednesday night. Loha Thakur, 40, a resident of Balganga village, was admitted to a nursing home in Motihari, where doctors confirmed he had consumed hooch. Loha, Pramod Yadav, 30, Trial Manjhi, 46, and Hiralal Mahato later died in different nursing homes in Motihari and Muzaffarpur on Friday.Earlier, Chuman, 25, from Fulwaghat village under Turkauliya police station, had died on Tuesday. His body was cremated without informing the police, as villagers allegedly suppressed the matter out of fear. Police, however, have not yet confirmed that Chuman died after consuming liquor.According to locals, six patients have lost their eyesight after consuming the toxic liquor.Family members of the deceased Pramod and Hiralal have lodged cases against the bootleggers.SP Swarn Prabhat said, “Naga Rai is the kingpin behind the manufacture and sale of this liquor in the area. He has been arrested by police. All members of Naga’s family are involved in this racket.”Champaran range DIG Har Kishor Rai, who is camping in Turkauliya along with DM Saurabh Jorwal and SP Swarn Prabhat, said five deaths had been confirmed in the hooch tragedy in Turkauliya and Raghunathpur villages. “A special team has been formed under the leadership of Motihari SDPO Dilip Kumar, along with two other deputy superintendents of police, to investigate the case,” the DIG added.SHO of Turkauliya police station has been suspended, while the chowkidar of Parsauna village, Bharat Rai, has been arrested. The DIG appealed to people not to consume any spurious liquor they may have stored.Police have arrested several alleged members of the liquor mafia, including Naga Rai, Jammu Baitha and Bharat Rai, in connection with the case and seized about 2,000 litres of spurious liquor.
