Bihar hooch tragedy kingpin held in Saran as toll rises to 37

PATNA: Bihar Police SIT Saturday arrested the kingpin behind the Oct 16 hooch tragedy, which has claimed the lives of 37 people so far in Saran , Siwan, and Gopalganj districts. Three other people accused of supplying the spurious liquor surrendered in a Saran court on Saturday.

The prime accused, Mantu Singh , alias Sikander Singh, from Bali Vishunpura of Saran's Mashrak PS area was nabbed in the district. He was booked under the Prohibition Act in 2022 after illegal spirits were recovered from his possession.

Saran SP Kumar Ashish told TOI that Mantu had stored methyl alcohol at his brick kiln in Bishanpur village under Bhagwanpur Hat police station in Siwan. "From there, it was supplied to small distributors in Siwan, Saran, and Gopalganj. They mixed water with the spirit and sold it to locals, who consumed it and fell ill. Seven people died in Saran, and the health of several others deteriorated on Oct 16," he said.

In addition to the prime accused, police have taken on remand several other men.