Bihar's Brazen Liquor And Sand Smugglers Who Don't Even Spare Cops

Authorities in Bihar seem to be facing a massive challenge in taming the illicit liquor trade and sand mining. This time, the excise police have been attacked by the liquor mafia in East Champaran district’s Motihari city during which a home guard jawan was killed. The deceased, Hriday Narayan Rai (55), was posted at the Ghorasahan excise checkpost near the India-Nepal border.

The incident occurred on Monday night at the Aruna river bridge in the Jharokhar police station area. Two assistant sub-inspectors (ASI) and 6 home guard jawans were part of the excise team. The spot of the attack was just 500 metres away from the Jharokhar police station. When the excise police team went on a raid based on information about illegal liquor trade, the perpetrators and some villagers attacked them. Rai was trapped by the liquor traders and later was beaten up brutally. He was taken to hospital for treatment but doctors declared him dead.

The home guard jawan was a resident of the Rengania area. The Jharokhar police sent Rai’s body to Motihari Sadar Hospital for post-mortem. His grieving family members have demanded compensation for the loss.

Superintendent of police Kantesh Kumar Mishra, who reached the Sadar Hospital after Rai was taken there, said that five people have been arrested in this case and some local leaders have also been identified who will face action.

Attacks on excise teams by those in the illicit liquor trade have become common.

Past cases

July 3, Patna: An excise team was attacked at Naubatpur in Bihar’s capital Patna. A home guard jawan and an inspector were injured.

May 2023, Sasaram: An excise department team was attacked in Dayal Bigha village near Barhiya Bagh of the Mufassil police station area. Half a dozen personnel, including excise inspector Prabhat Vidyarthi, and two women jawans, Diksha Tiwari and Aditi Raj, were injured.

April 2023, Aurangabad: Liquor smugglers along with villagers attacked an excise department team. They pelted the excise department van and jawans with bricks and stones. However, there were no injuries to the personnel who fled from the spot.

April 2023, Samastipur: Locals attacked an excise team that reached Bishanpur village of Kalyanpur police station area in Samastipur district to raid liquor smugglers. Constable Naval Kishore Bhagat suffered serious head injuries in this incident.

Sand smugglers trample sub-inspector with tractor

When a police team went on a raid against the sand mafia in Nawada district, the culprits ran over the personnel with a tractor. A trainee sub-inspector Lalan Kumar was badly injured in the incident that occurred late on Monday night near Koriauna village under Thali police station area of the district. He was brought to Sadar Hospital for treatment, but seeing his serious condition, the doctors referred him to Gaya. Kumar said a tip was received that illegal sand mining was going on at the Khakhandua hills and sand was being transported by the smugglers through Bhawanpur.

The police have also arrested two liners from the spot. Mining has been prohibited in the area for several years but that has not deterred the smugglers who don’t even shy away from attacking police officers.

In April, three mining department personnel including a woman officer were injured in a stone-pelting incident when a team had gone for inspection and searches as part of a drive to check illegal mining in Bihta block of Patna district. Police later arrested 44 people and seized 50 vehicles. Those injured included Patna district mining officer Kumar Gaurav and mining inspectors Syed Farhin and Amya Kumari.