Bihar: 46 people, including 37 children, drown during ‘Jitiya’ festival

As many as 46 people, including 37 children, died in separate incidents of drowning across Bihar on the festival of 'Jitiya' or 'Jivitputrika' over the last 24 hours, a government official said.

The incidents of drowning were reported from East and West Champaran, Aurangabad, Kaimur, Buxar, Siwan, Rohtas, Saran, Patna, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Gopalganj and Arwal districts.

"So far, 43 bodies have been fished out. The kin of the victims will be given ₹4 lakh ex-gratia. Eight of them have already been disbursed," a disaster management department (DMD) official said.

DMD has pressed several teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) for search and rescue operations.

The festival of 'Jitiya' is observed by mothers for the well-being and prosperity of their children. The incidents took place when children, accompanied by their mothers, went to take a dip in various water bodies.

Eight children drowned in Aurangabad district, four at Itahat village under Baruna police station area and another four at Kushaha village of Madanpur police station.

According to reports from Kaimur, seven minors drowned in Bhabhua and Mohania police station areas when they were taking bath in the Durgawati river and a pond, respectively.

Four incidents of drowning were reported on Wednesday evening from Amnabad village under Bihta police station area of rural Patna and five persons, including two boys, drowned in Daudpur, Manjhi, Taraiya and Marhaura police station areas of Saran district.

"The incidents took place when the victims, along with their family members, went for a holy dip in the water bodies," Aurangabad District Magistrate Srikant Shastri said.