43, including 37 kids, drown while taking holy dip in Bihar

As many as 43 people, including 37 children, drowned and three others went missing while taking holy dips in rivers and ponds in separate incidents during the ‘Jivitputrika’ festival in Bihar, the state government said on Thursday.

The incidents occurred in 15 districts of the state during the festival held on Wednesday. During the festival, women fast for the well-being of their children and both take holy dips. “A total of 43 bodies have been recovered so far. Further search operation is on,” a statement issued by the Disaster Management Department (DMD) said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of deceased. The process of providing ex-gratia has begun and the kin of eight victims have already received it, the statement said. “The incidents of drowning were reported from East and West Champaran, Nalanda, Aurangabad, Kaimur, Buxar, Siwan, Rohtas, Saran, Patna, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Gopalganj and Arwal districts,” the statement added. Aurangabad reported the highest number of eight deaths.

“The district administration makes adequate arrangements for all those who visit dedicated ghats of rivers/ponds during the festival. Problems arise when people go to local ghats, which are not prepared by the administration,” Aurangabad DM Srikant Shastri said.