Two Bihar policemen held under prohibition law

Patna May 4 (IANS) Two office-bearers of the Bihar Police Men s Association (BPMA) have been arrested for violating the ban on liquor in the state police said on Thursday.

Police arrested BPMA President Nirmal Singh and its Secretary Shamsher Khan from the former s house in the New Police Lines here following Patna Senior Superintendent of Pollice Manu Maharaj s orders. The SSP reached the spot after getting to know that the two were creating ruckus and publicly consuming liquor and found both of them heavily drunk a district police official said. Singh and Khan were sent to jail by a local court. According to police officials Nirmal Singh resisted arrest and alleged that Maharaj had acted against him for raising voice on behalf of the association members. Bihar Police Association President Mitunjay Singh welcomed the police action. Over 45 000 persons have been arrested for violating liquor ban imposed by the Nitish Kumar government on April 5 last year. Excise and Prohibition Minister Abdul Jalil Mastan said that state agencies have been directed to act tough against the violators. The state police had raided 2 18 722 locations and seized liquor valued at Rs 50 crore in the last one year an Excise and Prohibition Department official said. According to a police report 40 413 cases have been registered for violations of the liquor ban. --IANS ik/tsb/vm