Six die after consuming suspected spurious liquor in Bihar's Buxar

Highlights

Deaths due to illicit liquor in the backdrop of liquor ban have caused embarrassment to Nitish govt
The liquor ban was enforced in 2016. But rise in hooch incidents have pushed govt on the back foot
The govt has now dropped hints that it will amend prohibition law to give some relaxation to public

At least six people died after consuming suspected spurious liquor in Bihar's Buxar district, news agency ANI reported. According to police, the incident took place on Wednesday night in Amsari village. Police said that the six "died under mysterious circumstances".

Relatives of the deceased, however, said that the victims had consumed illicit liquor. "This happened due to spurious liquor. What is the administration doing? If there is a liquor ban, how are they getting it?" relatives told ANI.

Police said an investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of death. "We have sent the bodies to Sadar hospital for the post-mortem to find out actual reasons of death. The families of the deceased have claimed that they had consumed liquor on Republic day," an official of Murar police station said.

The incident has caused further embarrassment to the Nitish Kumar government which is already facing criticism from Opposition ranks over poor implementation of the liquor ban in the state. The liquor ban was enforced in Bihar in April 2016 when Nitish Kumar took over as the CM with the support of the RJD and Congress.

However, the liquor tragedies in Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Bettiah, Samastipur, Vaishali, Nawada and Nalanda (CM's home district) have put the government on the back foot.

The government has now hinted that it may give some relaxation in the prohibition law. According to a top official of the ruling Janata Dal (United), the government is ready to review the law. A proposal is likely to be put on the table in the upcoming Budget Session to provide some relaxation to the violators, according to news agency IANS.