DonteOnslow6 at 02:46, 6 March 2026

2026-03-06T02:46:21Z

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{{Short description|Mass poisoning in Bihar, India}}
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| cause = poisoning from hooch
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On 14 December 2022, an alcohol poisoning took place in [[Bihar]], India.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gandhi |first=Mohak |date=2022-12-31 |title=Bihar Hooch Tragedy: Delhi Police arrests mastermind behind liquor case in Bihar |url=https://newsroompost.com/india/bihar-hooch-tragedy-delhi-police-arrests-mastermind-behind-liquor-case-in-bihar/5220202.html |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=NewsroomPost |language=en-US}}</ref> The poisoning resulted in the death of 73 people.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mastermind behind Bihar Hooch tragedy that killed over 70 nabbed by Delhi police |url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/mastermind-behind-bihar-hooch-tragedy-that-killed-over-70-nabbed-by-delhi-police-2556076.html |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Zee News |language=en}}</ref> The victims consumed [[Liquor|hooch]] (spurious liquor), that is qualitatively different from the standard alcoholic products.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chhapra deaths: How hooch tragedies have stalked dry Bihar |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bihar-hooch-tragedy-recent-cases-chhapra-death-liquor-prohibition-2309792-2022-12-16 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=India Today |date=16 December 2022 |language=en}}</ref> It is the highest death toll in [[Bihar]], since liquor prohibition in the state in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mukherjee |first=Shine Jacob & Sanjeeb |date=2022-12-18 |title=Bihar hooch tragedy: Sobering reality of missing liquor policy |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/bihar-hooch-tragedy-experts-demand-national-policy-to-curtail-demand-122121800479_1.html |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=www.business-standard.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Background==
In April 2016, Chief Minister [[Nitish Kumar]] enacted legislation banning the sale and consumption of alcohol in the [[Bihar]]. 21 million litres of liquor had been seized in the state till February 2022 since the prohibition. For violating the law, around 450,000 people have been arrested. Mostly, the poisoning incidents have been reported from rural areas, where denatured spirit's use has proliferated due to illegal manufacturing facilities.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Why liquor is still killing so many people in dry Bihar {{!}} India News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/why-liquor-is-killing-people-in-dry-bihar/articleshow/90334342.cms |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>

==Incident==
According to police, relatives of those who were killed claimed that the victims died due to the consumption of poisonous liquor in the Doila and Yadu Mot villages of the [[Saran district]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=At least 31 dead in India's Bihar after drinking toxic alcohol |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/15/at-least-31-dead-in-indias-bihar-after-drinking-toxic-alcohol |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref> The victims started vomiting after consuming the alcohol with people dying on the way to hospital. Many others died while being treated in hospital later. The tragedy took the lives of 73 people in total.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-15 |title='You'll die, if you consume alcohol': Nitish Kumar on Bihar liquor deaths |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/youll-die-if-you-consume-alcohol-nitish-kumar-on-bihar-liquor-deaths-11671084896029.html |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=mint |language=en}}</ref> Most of the victims were declared dead on arrival at a hospital in [[Chhapra]]. Many of the victims did not seek help initially because they feared being punished for their violation of the liquor prohibition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sarkar |first=Alisha Rahaman |date=15 December 2022 |title=At least 39 dead after drinking illicit alcohol in India’s ‘dry state’ |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/bihar-illicit-liquor-death-toll-alcohol-b2245748.html |access-date=11 January 2025 |website=[[The Independent]]}}</ref>

==Response==
Chief Minister [[Nitish Kumar]] said that those who drink alcohol will die and no compensation will be given to the families of the deceased. Pointing out that [[Bihar]] is a state where [[Alcohol (drug)|alcohol]] prohibition has been in place since 2016, the Chief Minister asked people to be more cautious in this regard. The opposition, including the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], protested against [[Nitish Kumar]]'s stand in the assembly.<ref>{{Cite web |title=65 Dead Due To Toxic Liquor In Bihar, Worst Tragedy Since Prohibition |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/number-of-deaths-due-to-toxic-liquor-in-bihars-chapra-rises-to-65-3613713 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref> Nitish Kumar declined to repeal the liquor ban, citing women's rights concerns.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 December 2022 |title=At least 31 dead and multiple others left blind as death toll from illegally brewed alcohol in India rises |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-15/illegal-alcohol-liquor-ban-india-deaths/101779024 |access-date=11 January 2025 |website=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Alcohol in India}}
{{Disasters in India in 2022}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bihar alcohol poisoning, 2023}}
[[Category:2022 crimes in India|Bihar]]
[[Category:2020s in Bihar]]
[[Category:Alcohol-related deaths in India]]
[[Category:December 2022 crimes in Asia]]
[[Category:December 2022 in India]]
[[Category:Methanol poisoning incidents]]
[[Category:Crime in Bihar]]
[[Category:Nitish Kumar]]

2022 Bihar alcohol poisoning - Revision history

DonteOnslow6 at 02:46, 6 March 2026