Police teams conducting liquor-related raids in Gaya and West Champaran districts of Bihar came under attack on 13 October, leaving seven personnel and officials injured across two separate incidents. The violence highlights the risks law-enforcement officers face while enforcing the state's prohibition law.

Attack in Gaya's Koiri Bigha Village

A joint team of the Excise Department and local police was pelted with bricks and stones in Koiri Bigha village, under the Belaganj police station area of Gaya district, on Tuesday. Five personnel and officials sustained injuries, including Excise Department Assistant Sub-Inspector Shambhu Kumar Chaudhary.

According to Belaganj Station House Officer (SHO) Ujjwal Kumar, the team had received credible information about liquor sales in the village and arrived to conduct a raid. A crowd allegedly gathered during the operation and attacked the team, also damaging the police vehicle and triggering panic in the area.

The injured were first taken to a local hospital before being referred to Gaya for advanced medical care. Police have since taken several individuals into custody for questioning and are working to identify others allegedly involved in the assault. The investigation remains ongoing, with further legal action to follow based on collected evidence.

Scuffle in West Champaran's Rudalpur Village

In a separate incident late Monday night, two police personnel were injured during a raid at a house in Rudalpur village, under the Yogapatti police station area of West Champaran. Officers had acted on a tip-off about suspected liquor-related activity at the premises.

The injured personnel were identified as Pankaj Kumar, posted at Yogapatti police station, and Madan Yadav, a resident of Belvanwa village. Both were admitted to the Yogapatti Community Health Centre for treatment. The exact severity of their injuries was not immediately available.

Arrests and Investigation

Following the West Champaran incident, police arrested five residents of Rudalpur village — Tuna Ram, Nagina Ram, Sunita Devi, Premshila Devi, and Madhuri Kumari. The arrested individuals are being questioned about the scuffle and the suspected liquor trade. Police have not disclosed whether any liquor was seized during the raid or specified the individual roles of those arrested.

Yogapatti SHO Dhruv Narayan Singh confirmed the incident and the arrests, stating the investigation was continuing and that further action would be taken in accordance with the law.

Wider Context: Bihar's Prohibition Enforcement

Bihar has enforced a total prohibition on alcohol since April 2016, making liquor raids a routine but often contentious enforcement exercise across the state. Attacks on raiding parties are not uncommon — this is the latest in a pattern of resistance that enforcement agencies have flagged as a persistent challenge. Notably, both incidents occurred within hours of each other, suggesting coordinated or widespread illicit liquor activity across multiple districts. The attacks are likely to prompt a review of raid protocols and personnel deployment.