13 held for hooch tragedy in Bihar

PATNA - Thirteen people were arrested in Bihar’s Samastipur district Sunday in connection with a hooch tragedy that claimed nine lives, police said. Over 400 pouches of country-made liquor were seized from them.

Seven people, including four women, died at Kashipur locality in Samastipur, about 100 km from here, Saturday and two died Sunday, after consuming spurious country-made liquor.

Nearly half a dozen people are still battling for life.

Ninety bottles of foreign liquor have also been seized from the arrested people.

Samastipur Superintendent of Police Daljit Singh said that more arrests are likely to be made.

An official said the number of illegal liquor shops in Samastipur town have gone up in the last few years.