Death toll in Chhapra Hooch Tragedy rises to 65

Patna: The death toll in the Chapra hooch tragedy, due to the consumption of spurious liquor, in Bihar's Saran district rose to 65 on Friday.
Most deaths reportedly occurred over Wednesday and Thursday, evoking an uproar inside and outside the Bihar Assembly. The Opposition, led by the BJP, took on the ruling JD(U)-RJD combined over the rising hooch deaths despite a ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in the state, which has been in effect since April 2016.
Amid severe criticism from the Opposition, led by the BJP, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said that no compensation will be given if a person dies after consuming spurious liquor.

"No compensation will be provided to people who die after consuming spurious liquor. We have been appealing to you not to drink. If you drink, you will die. Those who speak against prohibition will not bring any good to the people," the Bihar CM said in the Assembly on Friday.
Earlier, in the wake of the Hooch tragedy in Chhapra, the Station House Officer (SHO) Ritesh Mishra and Constable Vikesh Tiwari were suspended with immediate effect on the recommendation of Marhaura Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Yogendra Kumar.
The Chhapra hooch deaths were one of the issues which forced one of three adjournments in the Upper House of the Parliament on Thursday.
Meanwhile, days after the hooch tragedy in Bihar's Chhapra at least 5 people died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in the adjoining Siwan district in the state.

All five deceased are residents of Brahsthan and Sondhani villages of Bhagwanpur Police Station area. According to sources, the death toll is expected to rise. Angry family members of the deceased obstructed the Siwan-Chapra Malmalia main road and undertook a protest. The distance between Siwan and Chhapra is around 10 kilometers.
The deceased have been identified as Mahesh Rai (40), Sambhu Yadav (36), Amir Manjhi (45), and Awadh Manjhi (36) of Brahmasthan Village while Ramendra Pandit hailed from Sondhani village. According to locals, the death toll is expected to go up and the condition of some people are stated to be serious. (ANI)