Heartbreak enveloped a modest household in Samastipur, Bihar, where poisonous liquor snuffed out a father’s existence and plunged his son into eternal darkness. The incident, rooted in the shadows of illegal distillation, underscores the lethal risks lurking in prohibited territories.
Ramu Yadav, a resilient farmer, and his son Ravi, an aspiring mechanic, partook in illicit desi daru during a family celebration. The brew, cunningly spiked with fatal impurities, unleashed havoc: Ramu’s heart gave out from acute toxicity, while Ravi’s eyes burned away their function in agonizing succession.
Emergency services arrived too late for Ramu, whose autopsy revealed lethal methanol concentrations corroding his liver and kidneys. Ravi, airlifted to an eye institute, faces a lifetime without sight, with neurologists citing delayed treatment as the culprit.
Enraged officials unleashed Operation Clean Sweep, bulldozing hidden godowns and detaining seven operatives in a 24-hour blitz. Intelligence suggests a sophisticated cartel blending chemicals meant for paints into alcohol, evading checks via village networks.
Bihar’s anti-liquor crusade, once hailed, now faces scrutiny as deaths mount – over 150 in two years per official data. Sociologists point to poverty-driven demand and enforcement gaps, advocating community watch programs and alternative livelihoods.
As the family grapples with loss, aid pledges pour in from NGOs for Ravi’s training in accessible skills. Villagers, torching effigies of smugglers, call for zero-tolerance policing. This saga, etched in tragedy, demands not just probes but systemic overhaul to shield the vulnerable from poison in a bottle.