District Police Office in Mahottari has arrested two persons on charge of producing and selling bootleg liquor that claimed five lives in the district.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Janak Bhattarai said Jagat Bahadur Lama, 37, of Hattilet VDC-4 and Binod Mahara, 33, of Sahasaul VDC-6 were detained for investigation. A preliminary police investigation suggests that five persons died after consuming the toxic alcohol sold by Mahara. The liquor was produced illegally by Lama.

Rambrishya Mallik, 70, his son Ram Pragas Mallik, 35, of Sahasaul-6, daughter Kalawati Devi, 40, son-in-law Pancha Mallik, 45, of Gaushala Municipality-7 and Pancha’s father Badri Mallik, 60, of Aurahi VDC-3 died after consuming tainted alcohol brought from Mahara’s shop last week.

Police took the accused duo into custody on Friday evening and launched further investigation suspecting that there could be a racket behind the  production and smuggling of the tainted hooch in the district.

In a similar incident last year, five persons died after drinking a toxic batch of hooch at a Musahar settlement at Chandra Ayodhyapur-6 in Siraha district. Thirty other villagers fell ill after consuming the illicit moonshine in the incident. Eight persons had died of toxic hooch produced locally in the same village four years ago.