Patna, Apr 16 (IANS): Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday criticised the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government for the hooch tragedy in Bihar's East Champaran district, saying the government is not revealing the actual number of deaths.

At least six persons were killed and nine hospitalised after they consumed spurious liquor in East Champaran district, police said on April 15.

However, the villagers claimed that 22 people died due to the hooch tragedy.

Sushil Kumar Modi demanded an immediate meeting of all the parties to review the liquor policy, and also provide compensation to the victims' families.

"The deaths happened in East Champaran in a liquor tragedy belonging to poor families. The victims belong to Dalit and poor families. The state government is hiding the actual number of deaths. The police officers are going to every house of the victims and applying pressure to not seek the post-mortem (exam). They are asking victims' families to cremate the bodies without post-mortem," Modi said.

"The people who fell ill after liquor consumption are not undergoing proper treatment. There are no facilities of treatment for them in the hospitals. Hence, they are dying in the absence of treatment. The lives of the victims could have been saved if they were provided proper treatment," he added.

Slamming Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the senior BJP leader said: "After the Saran hooch tragedy, the CM announced that his government will soon call for all parties to meet to give compensation to the victim's families. So far, it has not called any meeting in this regard. I urge the chief minister to call for the meeting as soon as possible and give Rs 4 lakh each to the family members of the victims."

"The Patna High Court has also asked the state government for the proper treatment to the hooch tragedy victims. The National Human Rights Commission has also recommended compensation of Rs 4 lakh compensation to the family members of the victims," Modi said.