In response to the tragic spurious liquor incident in Motihari that claimed 11 lives, authorities in Bettiah have initiated a rigorous crackdown on illegal liquor activities. The police, in collaboration with the Prohibition Department, have escalated raids in various police station areas like Shikarpur, Nautan, and Majhaulia to dismantle illicit liquor networks. During a significant operation in Shikarpur, officials seized raw materials capable of producing nearly 3,500 liters of illicit liquor.
Extensive search operations were simultaneously conducted in Nautan and Majhaulia regions. In Dabariya village under Nautan police station jurisdiction, Vishwajeet Kumar, also known as Golden, was apprehended with 36 liters of foreign liquor concealed in a maize field. The accused, with a history of liquor smuggling, was previously arrested in 2024 with 423 liters of liquor. Additionally, seven individuals were detained on alcohol consumption charges from different locations, with cases filed against them under the Excise Act.
Deputy Superintendent of the Prohibition Department, Seema Chaurasia, affirmed the heightened surveillance, especially in border areas, post the Motihari tragedy. She stressed the continuation of robust actions against illegal liquor production and smuggling to ensure strict adherence to prohibition laws statewide. The intensified measures underscore the administration’s commitment to averting similar tragedies and dismantling illicit liquor networks.
