Five people have died in Aurangabad district of dry Bihar after allegedly consuming spurious liquor, an official said on Tuesday. The police have launched a massive crackdown and arrested 67 people following the incident. According to Aurangabad Superintendent of Police Kantesh Kumar Mishra, all deaths have been reported from the Madanpur block. Three people died on Monday, while two deaths occurred the day before. Two others who took ill after consuming liquor are undergoing treatment at a hospital in adjoining Gaya district. "It has not been possible to ascertain the cause of the deaths since family members cremated the bodies before the police got a whiff," said the SP. Nonetheless, cognizance has been taken of complaints that spurious liquor was being sold in the area, in flagrant violation of prohibition law, said the SP. "We have, so far, destroyed many illegal distilleries and arrested 67 suspected bootleggers", he added. Sale and consumption of alcohol was completely banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April, 2016. Implementation, though, has remained marred by rampant illicit liquor trade.
