Patna, Nov 1 (IANS ) A man tragically died on Friday, reportedly after consuming suspected spurious alcohol in Bihar’s Begusarai district.
The deceased has been identified as Jeevan Shah, a resident of Jinedpur village within the Mufassil police station area.
Shah, the son of Jilebi Shah and a resident of ward number 1 in Jinedpur fell victim to what the villagers claim is an ongoing issue in their area - illegal liquor production and sale.
Outraged by the loss, villagers targeted the home of an individual they accused of involvement in the illicit liquor trade, vandalising the property.
During the commotion, one gallon of liquor was reportedly found at the location, further fuelling suspicions of illegal activity in the area.
Villagers and Shah’s family alleged that illegal liquor production has been rampant, and this tragic incident was a consequence of the unchecked sale of poisonous liquor.
The death has sent shockwaves among the community, drawing attention once again to the issue of illicit alcohol in Bihar, where a statewide prohibition is officially in effect.
Authorities are likely to face pressure to investigate and address these ongoing violations that continue to pose a serious public health risk.
After the tragic death of Jeevan Shah, district police arrived in Jinedpur village and managed to calm the agitated crowd.
He assured the villagers that an investigation would follow and took custody of Shah’s body, which was then sent to Begusarai Sadar Hospital for a post-mortem.
“The exact cause of death will only be confirmed once the post-mortem report is released, though an investigation is already underway,” said Sanjit Paswan, ASI of Mufassil police station.
In the aftermath, a neighbour revealed that Shah had a connection to the suspected liquor trade, explaining that he often tended to cattle at a location where liquor was allegedly produced and sold.
On the day of his death, Shah reportedly consumed alcohol on an empty stomach, after which he collapsed and died soon after.
Another villager, Chunchun Rai, corroborated claims of illicit alcohol production in the area, alleging that substances like urea were mixed in the liquor - a dangerous practice known to increase its potency but also its toxicity.