Four dead in suspected spurious liquor tragedy in Bihar's Patna district

At least four people have died in what is suspected to be a spurious liquor tragedy in Bihar's Patna district, a police officer confirmed on Sunday. The incident occurred in Bedhna village, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Barh police station.

The deceased have been identified as Shashi Kumar, Vikas Ram, Pankaj Singh and Nishu Kumar. According to family members, the four men consumed liquor together in a room and soon began feeling unwell. They were rushed to the nearest government hospital, where they died during treatment.

Villagers informed the police that the men had consumed alcohol or another intoxicating substance along with it. Barh Sub-Divisional Police Officer Ayush Srivastava said the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination. "The exact cause of death can be ascertained only after the post-mortem. The matter is being looked into as per law," he said.

Bihar has enforced a complete ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol since April 5, 2016, making such incidents a recurring concern in the state. Authorities are investigating the source of the liquor and whether more people may have been affected.