For the fourth time, Bihar policemen take oath against alcohol consumption

More than 80,000 police personnel of Bihar on Monday vowed not to drink alcohol and work to ensure successful prohibition in the state.

This is the fourth pledge in five years against liquor consumption and working in tandem with liquor smugglers.

On April 4, 2016, all police personnel, including home guards, had taken a similar pledge not to consume liquor or allow its sale in the state. In 2019 also, the exercise was repeated on the CM’s directive. Even after this, there is no effect on Bihar policemen. Complaints against police personnel consuming liquor, their involvement in alcohol business is received regularly.

Bihar police personnel had taken similar oaths in 2016, 2018 and 2019 to follow the prohibition.

Policemen across the state gathered in uniform to take an oath on Monday morning - some at their police stations, others in big open grounds. In capital Patna, Bihar’s police chief SK Singhal administered the oath to several policemen.

“I do solemnly swear I will never consume liquor in my lifetime. I shall be liable for stern action if I am ever found involved in any activity involving liquor,” read the oath.

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Ever since the state went dry closely to five years back, several lakh litres of illicit liquor had been seized while 450 policemen, found either drunk or hand-in-glove with the liquor traders, were suspended. “Of them, 95 cops were dismissed from service after the prohibition law was amended and made quite stringent,” said a senior official in the state home department.

In a bid to make the prohibition successful, chief minister Nitish Kumar has made the Station House Officer at each police station accountable for any illegal sale or consumption of liquor.

“If liquor is found/seized in any area, be it for sale or consumption, the SHO of that particular station will be suspended and divested of the charge for the next ten years,” an official, adding that 23 police personnel were dismissed from service and pension amount of five retired police officials was deducted for their negligence in connection with the 2016 hooch tragedy in Gopalganj district.

In 2020, Bihar police seized 26.91 lakh litres IMFL and country-made liquor while 48,187 people were arrested till November 2020.

Earlier, the DGP had issued a letter to all IGs, DIGs, SSPs and the SPs. The CM had issued a directive to this effect during the review meeting on law and order in the state on December 9. The police headquarters has already sent the format of the oath message to the respective police districts, including rail.