Six girls drown in Araria district, 9 more across Bihar in 48 hours

Patna: Six girls drowned in Araria district in two separate incidents, while nine others lost their lives in a similar manner in other parts of the state in the last 48 hours.Three minors from Raghunathpur Ward 11 drowned while taking a bath in JBC Canal under Bargama police station in Araria on Tuesday morning.Upon receiving information around 11am on Dial 112, police reached the spot and sent the bodies to the district hospital for postmortem. Bargama station house officer (SHO) Rajesh Kumar told this newspaper that five girls had gone to take a bath when they slipped into water. Khushi Khatoon (6), Zeenat Khatoon (8) and Zulekha Khatoon (12) drowned, while two were rescued by the local divers, he said.In a similar incident, three more girls drowned in Bakra river at Taran village under Jokihat police station area, while another girl was rescued by the local residents late on Monday evening.

They went to collect soil from the riverbank, when one of them, Khusnuma (10) went into deep water and began drowning. In an attempt to save her, the three other girls also jumped into the water. But two of them, identified as Rehana (10) and Saika (12) drowned, while the girl, who survived, is undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital, Araria.In Kishanganj district, two girls drowned in a pond at Panchgachhi village under Pauakhali police station in Thakurganj block on Tuesday when the two cousins went deep into the water while taking a bath.

The deceased have been identified as Nikhat Jahan (13) and Sumaiya Praveen (11).Meanwhile, two children from a family drowned while bathing, while two others were rescued, at Kuppa Ghat in Bhagalpur district’s Barari police station area on Monday. Those rescued are undergoing treatment at Mayaganj hospital. The deceased have been identified as Sami Ahmed (9), a resident of Mustafapur, and Najma Khatoon (9).In another incident involving a minor, a teenager drowned in Baya river while immersing puja materials in Samastipur’s Raja Jan village on Monday.

Upon receiving the information, local Mohiuddin Nagar police reached the spot, and recovered the body of deceased Vishal Kumar (14) with the help of the local divers.In yet another tragic incident on Diwali, one Niharika Kumari (22) drowned in a pond at Jaitpur Ganga ghat in Barhiya police station area of Lakhisarai. The woman had come to the Ganga ghat to take a holy bath and offer prayers on Diwali with her family. While taking the bath, she slipped into deep water.

Her body was recovered on Tuesday morning and sent to sadar hospital for a postmortem.In Buxar district, a 36-year-old man, Sudama Chauhan, drowned while preparing a Chhath ghat at Trikalpur village under Rajpur police station on Tuesday. While working, he entered a pond to bathe but slipped into deep water. Local residents found him after about an hour-and-a-half-long search. He was rushed to the community health centre in Rajpur, where doctors declared him dead.

Police have sent the body for postmortem to Buxar Sadar Hospital, said Gaurav Pandey, Buxar SDPO.

Villagers have demanded compensation for Chauhan’s family from the district administration.Meanwhile, a farmer and shepherd drowned in ponds in separate incidents in Sikandra and Lakshmipur blocks of Jamui on Monday. In Sikandra’s Dhadhaur village, 54-year-old shepherd Upendra Yadav drowned on Monday, while bathing his cattle. In the second incident at Chinaveria village in Laxmipur block, farmer Peru Das (68) slipped and fell into a pond. Locals tried to rescue him, but to no avail.(With inputs from K Kamlesh in Buxar)