In dry Bihar, tipplers may skip jail if they tip cops on liquor suppliers

Tipplers in dry Bihar may now be let off without a jail sentence. All they have to do upon being caught drunk is spill the beans on their suppliers.

The new government order on Monday stated that "relaxation" was being introduced with a view to tightening the noose on the network of smugglers and peddlers.

If the police succeed in making arrests based on the information provided by the person caught drinking, then the offenders will be spared jail time.

The sale and consumption of alcohol were completely banned by the Nitish Kumar government in April 2016, a year after the Chief Minister made a promise to the women of the state who complained about growing drunkenness.

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Implementation of the prohibition law, which contains a number of draconian provisions, has been patchy and the state has lost more than 50 lives in hooch tragedies reported since November last.

Ham-handed attempts by the police at enforcement, which include arrests of visitors from outside the state and raids on wedding parties, have led to much resentment.