A boat carrying devotees capsized in the Ganga River in Bihar’s Barh on Sunday, leading to the disappearance of six individuals. According to officials, the boat was transporting devotees from Umanath Ghat to Diara. The incident took place around 9.15 am near Umanath ganga ghat, as reported by Barh Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Shubham Kumar. The boat, carrying 17 people, mostly from one family, overturned in the middle of the river. While 11 individuals managed to swim to safety, six remain missing. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with local authorities, police personnel, and the state disaster relief force participating in the search. The SDM confirmed that the search operation is underway to locate the six missing individuals and that efforts are being made to determine their identities. The incident occurred on the day of Ganga Dussehra, a significant religious festival where devotees take a holy dip in the Ganga River. This festival is celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm in cities like Prayagraj and Varanasi, where people from across India come to seek blessings. Taking a dip in the river on this day is believed to cleanse devotees of their sins and heal any ailments they may have. Ganga Dussehra, celebrated on the tenth day (Dashami) of the waxing moon (Shukla Paksha) in the Hindu month Jyeshtha, marks the day Goddess Ganga is said to have descended from the heavens to Earth.
