Patna: In multiple incidents of drowning while taking a holy dip on Jitiya or Jiviputrika festival, nearly 50 people died across 15 districts of Bihar.
As many as 43 bodies have been recovered so far. At least 37 children and seven women have been reported dead in these incidents. While 46 people have been confirmed drowned, three are missing, state government officials said on Thursday.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condoled the deaths and announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of each deceased.
The state government’s Disaster Management Department (DMD) has pressed several teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) for search and rescue of the drowned people.
Jitiya, also known as Jivitputrika, is observed by women to seek blessings for their children. After a 24-hour fasting, women go to water bodies for a holy dip and water offerings to Lord Surya. It’s during this ritual the drowning incidents involving women and children happened.
The incidents were reported from East and West Champaran, Aurangabad, Kaimur, Buxar, Siwan, Rohtas, Saran, Patna, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Gopalganj and Arwal districts.