Liquor Smugglers Attack Police Team In Bihar’s “Dry Zone,” Injuring Five Officers
In a shocking incident highlighting the growing menace of the liquor mafia in Bihar, a group of liquor smugglers and locals attacked a police team conducting a raid in Begusarai district, injuring five personnel, including two women constables and a security guard.
The assault occurred on Friday when the police, acting on a tip-off, were heading towards Bhith village. The attackers surrounded the police vehicle, hurling bricks and stones before smashing the windows of the van. The smugglers reportedly fired three rounds at the police team, forcing officers to fire five rounds in the air in self-defence, according to official Akram Khan.
Reinforcements were quickly dispatched, and a larger force managed to bring the situation under control. Authorities confirmed that several suspects have been taken into custody for questioning.
The attack comes at a politically sensitive time for Bihar, which is gearing up for the first phase of Assembly elections on November 6. The state’s controversial liquor prohibition policy, implemented in 2016 under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has once again come under public scrutiny.
The prohibition was originally introduced to curb alcohol abuse, reduce domestic violence, and improve social welfare, earning Chief Minister Kumar significant support from women voters. However, critics argue that the ban has led to widespread corruption, black-market trade, and the rise of a powerful liquor mafia, while also causing revenue losses to the state.
Opposition leaders have seized the issue ahead of the polls. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the Mahagathbandhan alliance’s chief ministerial candidate, has suggested that the policy could be reviewed, while Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor has gone further, pledging to abolish prohibition immediately if his party comes to power.
Friday’s attack underscores the deep challenges faced by Bihar’s law enforcement agencies in enforcing the state’s controversial ban and the growing influence of criminal networks profiting from it.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
