Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his condolences for the tragic loss of life, which included seven women, and announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹4 lakh to the families of each deceased. A total of 46 people, including 37 children, lost their lives in separate drowning incidents across Bihar over the past 24 hours, coinciding with the festival of ‘Jitiya’ or ‘Jivitputrika,’ as confirmed by a government official.
Tragic Festivities on the Ganga’s Banks
On Wednesday, devotees gathered along the banks of the Ganga in Patna to observe the Jitiya festival, a day marred by the devastating news of multiple drowning incidents across the state. The victims hailed from various districts, including East and West Champaran, Aurangabad, Kaimur, Buxar, Siwan, Rohtas, Saran, Patna, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Gopalganj, and Arwal.
Rescue Efforts and Compensation
“So far, 43 bodies have been recovered, and compensation of ₹4 lakh will be provided to each victim’s family,” stated an official from the Disaster Management Department (DMD). “Eight families have already received the ex-gratia payment.” Rescue operations, led by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), are underway to locate the remaining victims.
READ ALSO | War Escalates: Israel Shuns US-French Ceasefire Call, Ramps Up Strikes on Lebanon
Mothers’ Devotion Turns to Tragedy
Jitiya, a festival where mothers pray for the health and prosperity of their children, turned into a day of mourning as several children, accompanied by their mothers, drowned while taking ritualistic dips in water bodies across the state.
In Aurangabad, eight children drowned—four in Itahat village under Baruna police station jurisdiction and another four in Kushaha village of Madanpur police station area. Similar tragedies unfolded in Kaimur, where seven minors lost their lives while bathing in the Durgawati river and a nearby pond in the Bhabhua and Mohania police station areas, respectively.
The incidents have left the state in grief as rescue operations continue.
