In one of the biggest hooch tragedies in Bihar since the state went dry in 2016, at least 25 people have died after consuming spurious liquor in the adjoining districts of Siwan and Saran, a top officer said on Thursday.

Director General of Police Alok Raj said that while Siwan accounted for 20 fatalities, five deaths have been reported from Saran even as 12 people have been arrested for allegedly selling spurious liquor and they were likely to be “tried under the most stringent laws and punished by the court”.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation where he instructed officials concerned to visit the site and ensure strongest possible action against those found guilty. Kumar, who is the state’s longest-serving CM, also made an impassioned appeal to the people of the state to “be on guard against elements who are trying to encourage consumption of liquor which plays havoc with people’s lives and disrupts peace in families”.

Notably, the state government had confirmed more than 150 deaths on account of hooch since the ban on liquor came into force. Police said two special investigating teams have also been set up in the aftermath of the incident.

“The one set up at the local level will be looking into the criminality involved in the latest episode. Another SIT has been set up by the Department of Prohibition in Patna which will carry out a comprehensive study of all such incidents that have taken place in the recent past, based upon which a plan of action will be drawn out,” a police official said.

“The name of a liquor mafioso has cropped up. He happened to be involved in a similar case earlier and is currently out on bail. We are investigating the matter from all angles,” he added.

According to officials in the two districts, tragedy befell Maghar and Auriya panchayats of Siwan and Mashrakh in Saran on Tuesday night when a number of locals treated themselves to liquor, the sale of which was completely banned in the state by the Nitish Kumar government way back in April, 2016.

The officials also said that more than 20 people were still battling for life at hospitals, many of them having lost their eyesight as a side effect of the spurious liquor.Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said hooch deaths have become a routine in Bihar but never ever has a high-ranking official faced the music for the lapse.