A serious incident occurred in Kanhaiyachak Patam Raghunath Tola under the Naya Ramnagar police station area of Bihar’s Munger district on Saturday night, when a police team was attacked during a raid against liquor mafias. The team had reached Patam West Panchayat following complaints of illegal liquor, when supporters of local liquor traders and some villagers attacked the police. Following the incident, local administration and police launched intensive raids in the area.

Munger SP Syed Imran Masood stated that the QRT team from Mufassil Police Station received information that smugglers were bringing illegal liquor from the Patam area. However, the officers proceeded with the operation without informing senior officials. The fact that local authorities and the senior police were not notified has raised suspicions about the circumstances of the raid.

During the clash between the police and villagers, at least three officers were injured, and some attackers seized a government rifle and a police officer’s pistol, which are still being recovered. The injured officers were admitted to hospital for treatment.

SP Masood also mentioned that the role of injured constable Sonu Kumar is under scrutiny. He had taken a mobile phone and recorded a video of the incident without orders, and preliminary examination of the phone revealed suspicious evidence. Several other constables involved in the operation have also been taken into custody.

Following the report of the incident, police immediately deployed teams to cordon off the area. Several suspects involved in the attack on police have already been arrested. Further operations and arrests are ongoing in the area.

Such violent incidents during anti-liquor raids and confrontations with mafias have occurred in other parts of Bihar as well, raising questions about law and order. Last year, multiple reports emerged of attacks on police and tensions during crackdowns on illegal liquor smuggling in the district.