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Bihar's alcohol ban persists despite enforcement struggles and thriving black market
Nine years after Bihar enforced a statewide alcohol prohibition to combat addiction, domestic violence, and financial hardship among its poorest households, the policy's effectiveness remains unclear amid persistent enforcement challenges and a flourishing illicit trade, a BBC investigation reveals.
Raids expose gaps in crackdown
On a misty October morning, excise officers armed with a sniffer dog raided an illegal distillery on the outskirts of Patna, the state capital. The team discovered a makeshift operation-dozen metal drums embedded in riverside mud, still warm from fermenting jaggery into country liquor. By the time authorities arrived, the operators had fled.
"They often get tipped off before a raid," an unnamed officer admitted. The scene underscored the difficulties in enforcing the ban, which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's government implemented in 2016 following pressure from women's groups.
Convictions skew toward consumers, not suppliers
State officials highlight over 1.1 million registered cases and 650,000 convictions since the ban began. However, more than 99% of convictions target consumption, not production or distribution. In the six weeks before recent elections, authorities seized illicit alcohol worth 522 million rupees ($6.26 million), evidence of the black market's resilience.
Local police, speaking anonymously, cite staff shortages, advanced smuggling tactics, and potential collusion between producers and officials as key obstacles. "We destroy these setups, but they reopen within days," said Sunil Kumar, an excise officer.
Geography complicates enforcement
Bihar's landlocked position exacerbates the challenge. The state borders Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal-all legal alcohol markets-and shares a 726-km porous border with Nepal, a major smuggling route. "Laws alone don't stop crimes like murder," noted Ratnesh Sada, an outgoing minister overseeing prohibition, though he claimed action against over 100 traders, including asset seizures.
Mixed impact on families
For women like Lalmunni Devi, whose husband died from toxic liquor in 2022, the ban offers hope. "I pray no one else suffers like this," she said. Neetu Devi, another widow, urged stricter enforcement: "If factories were shut entirely, liquor wouldn't be available."
Rajeev Kamal Kumar, an anthropologist at Patna's AN Sinha Institute, acknowledged dual realities: "Women and elders report improved finances and education, but illegal trade persists."
Historical parallels and economic costs
Bihar isn't alone in its struggle. Gujarat and Nagaland have maintained bans since 1960 and 1989, respectively, yet face bootlegging. Mizoram's prohibition history-lifted, reinstated, then relaxed-reflects the policy's volatility. Critics argue bans drain resources and forgo tax revenue, while supporters call them necessary social reforms.
With Kumar's alliance retaining power in recent elections, prohibition will continue. But its legacy-a mix of claimed progress and entrenched illicit trade-remains contested.
