Senior cops plan strategy to check liquor smuggling

PATNA: The hooch tragedies reportedly claiming over 40 lives in Gopalganj, West Champaran, Samastipur and Muzaffarpur since Diwali eve have put the state police and excise department on their toes as CM Nitish Kumar is scheduled to chair a high-level review meeting on Tuesday to make prohibition law more effective in the state.

Additional chief secretary (home) Chaitanya Prasad and DGP Sanjeev Kumar Singhal have held a series of high-level meetings with the DMs, SSP, SPs and public prosecutors via videoconferencing in the last few days, including the one at the state police headquarters on Friday.

Prasad told TOI over phone on Saturday that directions have been given to arrest the accused and liquor smugglers from other states, increase conviction rate in courts and intensify raids in border areas. “We will have a meeting on the issue even on Sunday,” he said.

A senior IPS officer said the figures were being compiled to present a clear picture of prohibition before the CM during his review meeting.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/senior-cops-plan-strategy-to-check-liquor-smuggling/articleshow/87689538.cms