Daijiworld Media Network – Begusarai

Begusarai, Oct 25: In a shocking act of defiance, liquor smugglers and locals attacked a police team during a raid in Bhith village of Begusarai district on Friday, leaving at least five police personnel injured, including two women constables and a security guard.

According to reports, the police team was acting on a tip-off and heading towards the village when it was surrounded by a mob. The attackers pelted stones and bricks at the police vehicle, shattering its windows, and even fired three rounds at the officers.

Begusarai police official Akram Khan said that the team fired five rounds in the air in self-defence before additional reinforcements were rushed to the spot. A larger police force soon arrived and brought the situation under control. Several suspects have been taken into custody, and further investigation is underway.

The incident comes at a politically sensitive time, with the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for November 6 — less than two weeks away.

Bihar has been under total prohibition since 2016, when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar introduced the ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol, citing goals of improving law and order, reducing domestic violence, and uplifting social and health standards. The move, while earning him strong support from women voters, has also sparked controversy over its unintended consequences.

Opposition leaders have criticized the prohibition policy for fueling corruption, strengthening the liquor mafia, and causing significant revenue losses to the state. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who heads the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance, has hinted at reviewing the law if voted to power, while Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor has pledged to revoke the ban immediately upon forming government.