Foreign National Detained with Liquor at Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya, Another Held at Darbhanga Airport

Patna: A Vietnamese national was apprehended by Gaya Police for carrying three bottles of liquor inside Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya while also having worship items in their possession. The incident came to light as the bottles were concealed within a carton and were detected during a security check using an internal scanner.

The individual, believed to be of foreign nationality, was taken into custody at the Bodh Gaya police station for further questioning. Police revealed that many foreigners are often unaware that Bihar is a dry state and inadvertently bring liquor with their belongings.

In Bihar, there is a provision to release first-time offenders upon payment of a fine at the police station. However, repeated violations of liquor laws can result in more severe consequences by the liquor prohibition Act.

In a separate incident, a chartered accountant from Kolkata, identified as Abhishek Toshniwal, was detained at Darbhanga airport after a liquor bottle was discovered in his luggage during a security check. Toshniwal had purchased the liquor in Nepal, placed it in his baggage, and arrived at Darbhanga airport, intending to board a flight to Kolkata.

Security personnel took him into custody and subsequently handed him over to Sadar police station on Friday evening. Toshniwal’s wife and two minor children also had to spend the night at the police station, as they had no other accommodation options.

Despite the prohibition of liquor in Bihar since 2016, the availability of alcohol remains widespread in the state, with instances of hooch-related tragedies continuing to occur.