A wave of tragedy swept across Bihar during the ‘Jivitputrika’ festival, leaving behind a trail of sorrow and loss. At least 43 people, including 37 children, perished in separate drowning incidents while taking holy dips in rivers and ponds across the state. The heartbreaking incidents unfolded on Wednesday, with reports emerging from 15 districts, including East and West Champaran, Nalanda, Aurangabad, Kaimur, Buxar, Siwan, Rohtas, Saran, Patna, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Gopalganj, and Arwal.
The ‘Jivitputrika’ festival holds special significance for women, who observe fasts for their children’s well-being and engage in ritualistic bathing. The somber news of the drownings, however, underscored the dangers associated with these practices, especially without adequate safety precautions.
The Bihar Disaster Management Department (DMD) confirmed the recovery of 43 bodies and stated that search operations were ongoing. In response to the tragedy, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his deep condolences and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹4 lakh to the families of each deceased. The government reported that the process of disbursing the financial aid had begun, with eight families already receiving the compensation.
One of the most harrowing incidents occurred in Aurangabad district, where eight minors, including seven girls, drowned while bathing in ponds in two separate villages. These tragic events unfolded in Kushaha village, Madanpur block, and Itahat village, Barun block, as families gathered at the ponds to perform the ritualistic bathing.
Aurangabad District Magistrate Srikant Shastri, speaking to PTI, explained that the victims, accompanied by their families, had gone to the ponds for the holy bath on the occasion of ‘Jivitputrika’. He added that local officials swiftly reached the spots and retrieved the bodies from the ponds, but they were declared dead upon arrival at nearby hospitals. Further investigations are underway by the district administration and police to understand the circumstances surrounding these tragic incidents.
The drowning incidents serve as a stark reminder of the need for heightened safety measures, particularly during festivals and other gatherings involving water bodies. Authorities and communities must work together to ensure public safety and prevent such heartbreaking tragedies from repeating in the future.
