In Bihar, Govt Deploys Helicopters To Intensify Crackdown Against Liquor Ban Violators

In order to catch liquor smugglers in the state, the Bihar government deployed helicopters. Previously, the Bihar government in December 2021 had made use of drones to keep a check on the illegal liquor trade in the state.

Patna: Bihar has pressed helicopters in service to trail the manufacture of illicit liquor and its trade in the state. The state government had previously deployed drones to go after bootleggers in its bid to intensify crackdown against violation of the prohibition policy of Bihar.

Officials of Bihar’s Department of Prohibition and Excise on Tuesday boarded the chopper and visited Patna and its surrounding areas in order to ensure surveillance.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inspected the helicopter at Patna airport yesterday. The officers of the Prohibition Department briefed the Chief Minister about the action being taken to nab the accused.

Earlier, the Bihar government had directed the teachers of government schools to keep an eye on the consumption of liquor, manufacturing units, smuggling, and provide information to the officials on the toll free numbers.

The liquor ban was enforced in Bihar in April 2016 when Nitish Kumar took over as the CM with the support of the RJD and Congress.

In October-November, 2021, over 40 people had died in different districts of Bihar after consuming spurious country liquor or hooch.

The incidents have caused major embarrassment to the Nitish Kumar government which is already facing criticism from Opposition ranks over poor implementation of the liquor ban in the state.  The liquor tragedies in Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Bettiah, Samastipur, Vaishali, Nawada and Nalanda (CM’s home district) have put the government on the back foot.