Car roof full of booze: Bihar cops uncover liquor-laden secret compartment on SUV

Liquor smugglers in Bihar continue to devise ingenious ways to evade the state's prohibition laws, but their latest attempt has left the police astonished. In Nawada, Excise Police uncovered a cleverly concealed liquor consignment hidden inside a specially constructed compartment in the roof of a Bolero SUV.Acting during a routine inspection at the Govindpur Excise Checkpost, officials seized hundreds of litres of foreign liquor packed in tetra packs and arrested two people, including the vehicle's driver, who had arrived from neighbouring Jharkhand.The seizure came after excise officials stopped the Bolero for inspection. Although the vehicle appeared ordinary from the outside, a closer examination revealed an unusual modification to its roof.A concealed chamber had been created by cutting into the vehicle's roof structure, providing space to stash a substantial quantity of illicit liquor. The consignment had been packed in tetra packs and carefully placed inside the hidden compartment to avoid detection during regular checks.According to officials, the elaborate modification was intended to help the smugglers transport liquor across state borders without attracting suspicion. The vehicle's unusual design, however, did not escape the attention of the excise team, whose thorough inspection exposed the concealed storage space and foiled the attempted smuggling operation.The two arrested accused have been identified as Rohan Sao, a resident of Bokaro Steel City in Jharkhand, and Mohammad Aslam, a resident of Jamua.The driver was among those apprehended during the operation. Both have been taken into custody, and further legal proceedings have been initiated against them under the relevant provisions of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act.The Prohibition and Excise Department has seized the liquor consignment along with the modified Bolero.Officials are expected to investigate the source of the seized alcohol, its intended destination and the possible involvement of other members of the smuggling network.The Nawada seizure is the latest example of the unconventional methods being adopted to transport alcohol into Bihar despite the state's strict prohibition policy.In September, the Excise Department seized 574 litres of domestic and foreign liquor from a boat on the Gandak River in Gopalganj and arrested a smuggler.In another incident in October, two personnel of the Hajipur Government Railway Police were arrested for allegedly concealing 27 litres of liquor recovered from the Garib Rath Express instead of reporting the seizure.These incidents underline the continuing challenges faced by enforcement agencies in implementing Bihar's liquor ban.With smugglers experimenting with modified vehicles, boats and other concealed means of transportation, the Excise Department's surveillance and inspection drives are likely to remain crucial in curbing the illegal liquor trade.- EndsInputs by Sumit Bhagat