At least nine people have lost their lives and several have fallen seriously ill in two separate hooch tragedies in Siwan and Saran districts in dry Bihar on Wednesday.

Around 12 of the affected people lost their vision.

The death toll could rise as many victims and their families are hiding out of fear of harsh provisions of the prohibition law, which has been in force in the state since 2016, and the coercive action of police and the administration.

Seven deceased persons belonged to villages of Kauriya panchayat under the jurisdiction of Bhagwanpur Haat police station in Siwan district. They had consumed liquor on Tuesday and had started complaining of nausea, stomachache, loss of vision and breathlessness soon after. Their families and friends rushed them to the nearest hospitals, but several of them could not be saved.

The residents of Maghar Kauria panchayat claimed that a large number of people had died after consuming spurious liquor while many were battling for their lives. The body of Arvind Singh of Kauriya Vaishya Tola was cremated by his family on Tuesday night out of fear of the draconian prohibition law and the police, said sources.

“He (Arvind) had consumed liquor on Thursday evening and died within a couple of hours. At least 15 to 16 people have died in the incident and a dozen are seriously ill,” said Ramendra Kumar Singh, a resident of Kauriya panchayat.

On the other hand, the Siwan police said in a statement: “We have received information about the death of four people under suspicious circumstances in Maghar Kauriya panchayat. The district magistrate, superintendent of police, subdivisional officer and subdivisional police officer reached there and conducted an intensive probe.”