Local authorities reported that during the celebration of a Hindu religious festival in eastern India, at least 46 people—including seven women and 37 children—drowned.
In the last 24 hours, 15 districts have confirmed the deaths.
The victims perished while taking ritual baths in ponds and rivers that had overflowed due to recent flooding, according to a disaster management official.
Each year, mothers fast on behalf of their children at the three-day Jivitputrika festival, which honours children’s welfare.
“Around forty children in India drown during a Hindu festival.”
Bihar officials reported that a large number of individuals chose to celebrate the occasion by bathing in rivers with dangerously high water levels. There are worries that the total number of fatalities may increase even more.
According to state officials, compensation would be given to the victims’ families and relatives.
Numerous fatal incidents have happened in India in the past during large-scale festivities when large people gathered in confined areas with little regard for safety precautions.
In the northern province of Uttar Pradesh, a crush during a religious gathering in July claimed the lives of at least 121 people.
Approximately sixty individuals lost their lives in 2018 when a train crashed into a crowd celebrating the Hindu holiday of Dusshera.
Source: BBC
