Death Toll Rises To 37 In Bihar Hooch Tragedy: Know The Dangers Of Illicit Liquor

Ten more people lost their lives after consuming illicit liquor in Bihar's Saran and Siwan district. What are the dangers of consuming illicit or unrecorded and unregulated alcohol?

In a tragic incident, 10 more people reportedly lost their lives after consuming illicit liquor in Bihar's Siwan and Saran districts taking the total tally of fatalities in the hooch tragedy to 37. As per reports from news agencies, the Deputy Inspector General confirmed that 28 deaths were reported from Siwan district while seven are from Saran. These individuals succumbed after consuming illicit liquor. As per reports from local police officers, 25 more individuals are currently battling for their lives in hospital of three districts in Bihar. The hooch tragedy questions the effectiveness of the liquor ban that was imposed in the state almost eight years ago. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination and the exact cause of death is yet to be announced after the autopsy report is ready. The identities of the deceased have not been revealed yet, say reports.

What is 'illicit liquor?' The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines it as unrecorded alcohol and the World Health Organisation (WHO) terms it as, "Alcohol that is not taxed and is outside the usual system of governmental control, because it is produced, distributed and sold outside formal channels." According to NIH, over a quarter of the total alcohol consumed in the world is illicit, unrecorded or unreported.

Why Are Illicit Liquors Dangerous For Health: NIH Explains

For a long time, illicit liquor, its sale and consumption have been a serious global health concern. These products are sold without any regulatory and market oversight, they are not check for safety, quality and have a high risk of adulteration issues. If sale of alcohol is undocumented, unreported or regulated, it poses a serious public health risk. This is a prevalent concern in many countries of the world including India. Alcohol remains among the top four most fraudulent commoditi3es after meat, seafood and milk.

Illicit liquors may contain adulterations which pose a significant health risk and can even cause deaths. They may contain methanol which can cause methanol poisoning or may be adjusted using extraneous, substandard or inferior ingredients which are often undeclared to the purchaser, thus rendering the product fraudulent and risky, says NIH.

(This is a developing story, stay tuned to this page for more updates on the hooch tragedy and the dangers of alcohol poisoning.)