A month after total prohibition was enforced in Bihar, 1,500 cases of violation have been lodged, 1,309 persons arrested and over 54,000 litres of both country-made and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) seized from different parts of the State.
The Bihar government banned the sale and consumption of liquor on April 5 after promulgating the new stringent State Excise Act 2016.
According to the State police headquarters, 19,076 raids were conducted across the State — 6,092 by the Excise Department, 11,367 by the police and 1,617 by the railway police.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been appealing to the policemen and the common people to help enforce the new Excise Act effectively. Visiting businessmen from other States and people caught drinking in upmarket hotels too were arrested recently and sent to jail under the new law. The Chief Minister had declared that he would try to persuade neighbouring States like Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh to enforce prohibition. He would be visiting these States on May 10 and 15 to address women groups that have for long been fighting for liquor ban.
Meanwhile, a close vigil is being maintained at railway stations and airports and there are constant announcements reminding travellers that Bihar is now a dry State and anyone found consuming or carrying liquor would be prosecuted. In-flight announcements too are on the cards, said an Excise Department official.
