Patna, Mar 16 (PTI) The Bihar government has initiated a process of recruiting 365 'prohibition' constables for the effective enforcement of the liquor ban law in the state, a minister informed the assembly on Wednesday.

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In a written statement tabled in the House, state minister Sunil Kumar said, "The government has already constituted 186 teams of the anti-liquor task force in all districts in the state. Now, the process has been initiated to recruit 365 prohibition constables to assist ALTF members for the effective enforcement of the prohibition law in the state."

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Drones are being used to monitor illegal brewing, smuggling of liquor and those engaged in sourcing alcohol illegally from small hamlets, forests, remote and hilly areas of the state, Kumar, who holds prohibition excise and registration portfolio, said.

The prohibition law is being strictly enforced in the state and stern action is taken against those found involved in bootlegging, the minister said.

The Nitish Kumar government had, in April 2016, banned sale and consumption of liquor, citing the rising number of cases of domestic violence.

The ban was also part of the poll promises of the ruling JD(U) in the 2015 state elections.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)