At least 46 people, including 37 children and seven women, drowned while celebrating a Hindu religious festival in eastern India, local officials reported. The tragic incidents occurred over the past 24 hours across 15 districts.
According to a disaster management official, the victims lost their lives while taking part in ritual baths in rivers and ponds, which had become dangerously swollen due to recent flooding.
The three-day Jivitputrika festival, which is dedicated to the wellbeing of children, also involves mothers fasting for their children. Despite warnings about high water levels, many participants in Bihar continued with the traditional bathing rituals, leading to the fatalities.
Authorities fear that the death toll may continue to rise.
State officials have announced that the families of the victims will be compensated.
Such deadly accidents have been seen in India during large religious festivals, where massive crowds often gather with insufficient attention to safety precautions.
In a previous incident in July, at least 121 people were killed in a crowd crush during a religious event in Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, in 2018, nearly 60 people lost their lives when a train struck a crowd during Dusshera, another Hindu festival.
.webp)
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