Deaths take place in states with no liquor ban too: Bihar minister

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar, under fire over spurious liquor deaths in the state, on Monday said that such tragedies get reported from states with no liquor ban as well.

Ashok Chaudhary, building construction minister in the state government and JD-U MLC said that deaths due to liquor are also happening in the states where it is not banned. Linking the deaths with the ban is incorrect.

"Liquor ban in Bihar is a good step. Still, mediapersons connect death due to poisonous liquor with liquor ban in the state. The deaths have taken place and investigation would reveal the actual cause of it, Chaudhary said.

"Crimes like rape and murder are also banned in the country. Still it is taking place everywhere. In most of the cases, at the time of production, the manufacturers of liquor would not know that the product would become poisonous," Chaudhary said.

"Every individual is aware of the dangers involved in consumption of spurious liquor in Bihar and the state government has mentioned stringent punishment, still they are consuming it. Why are they consuming liquor and risking their lives," Chaudhary wondered.

Meanwhile, Bihar police denied that the deaths happened due to consumption of poisonous liquor in four districts which claimed 42 lives since Saturday.

Twenty-two persons died in Bhagalpur, 12 in Banka, 5 in Siwan and three in Madhepura districts since Saturday.

Jitendra Kumar Gangwar, the ADGP headquarter of Bihar police said: "The deaths have been reported in mysterious circumstances but we have no proof of poisonous liquor in it. Majority of them have lost their lives to heart attack while some of them have health issues."

"The families of the deceased have cremated the bodies before the arrival of police. The actual cause of deaths for such victims cannot be possible," he added.