Key accused held in hooch tragedy case

Motihari: East Champaran police have busted the gang behind the hooch tragedy that claimed 10 lives with the arrest of the main supplier of poisonous spirit. SP Swarn Prabhat said on Sunday that a special investigation team (SIT) arrested Satish Chandra Chaudhary from Lucknow, describing him as the mastermind who supplied the consignment from Ghaziabad to Motihari, affecting several families in Turkauliya and Raghunathpur. He is being interrogated.The SP said Chaudhary owns SS Chemicals and hails from a village under Lalganj police station in Basti district of Uttar Pradesh, while operating from Sahibabad in Ghaziabad.Police said the network surfaced after the arrest of Lawkush Yadav near Piprakothi on Friday. He allegedly sourced the spirit through Chaudhary and sold it locally. Ten people died, several lost their eyesight and more than 18 were hospitalised before being discharged.“Chaudhary admitted his involvement,” the SP said, adding that key financial evidence has been found. Police have registered a case and are probing transactions and links between the accused. Around 18 racketeers have been arrested so far.