Consumption of hooch suspected as two villagers fall ill in Saran

CHHAPRA: Two men, in their 50s, were admitted to Chhapra Sadar Hospital in Saran district on Thursday with complaints of loss of eyesight and headache afterthey allegedly consumed spurious liquor. One of them, Dhodha Giri (55), even told reporters that he had consumed liquor on Tuesday, following which he started experiencing blurred vision and acute headache on Wednesday.
Giri, along with the second patient, Satyendra Rai, alias Pyaju Rai (50) - both residents of village Lakhanpur under Mashrakh police station - were referred to Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) in the capital.
After having blurred vision and acute headache, Giri approached the community health centre at Mashrakh on Wednesday evening, when doctors referred him to the sadar hospital. On Thursday morning, he went to the sadar hospital, which referred him to PMCH.
Saran district magistrate Aman Samir said that Marhoura sub-divisional officer has been directed to examine the complaints and file a report in the matter. "The victims had gone to Gopalganj to earn a living and they might have consumed some poisonous drink there," he said.
Saran superintendent of police Gaurav Mangala added the two ailing persons had gone to neighbouring Baikunthpur in Gopalganj to work as masons. When asked about the confession of one of the victims, Mangala replied, "A team has been formed to investigate the matter."
Last week, five deaths under mysterious circumstances in Baikunthpur police station area of Gopalganj were linked to consumption spurious liquor, only to be later denied by DM Dr Nawal Kishore Chaudhary on Monday when he said the deaths were related to different issues.
It may be recalled that last year in Saran, 70 persons had fallen sick after consuming suspected spurious liquor in Mashrakh, Marhoura and Maker areas on different occasions, while the district administration had confirmed death of 34 among them.