Bihar: At Least 12 Drown in Two Incidents in Vaishali, Samastipur

9 picnickers died after falling into the Ganga in Vaishali; 3 women drowned in Samastipur when their boat capsized.

At least 12 people, including five children, drowned in two separate incidents in Bihar’s Vaishali and Samastipur districts on Sunday, 5 November, the police claimed. While nine members of a picnic group died after falling into the Ganga river in Vaishali, three women drowned in the Baghmati river when a boat capsized in Samastipur district, they said.

The Vaishali incident happened while the picnickers had gathered atop a silt-mound near the Mastana Ghat for lunch, Naseem Ahmed, in-charge of Fatuha police station, told PTI.

Also Read: 3 Dead in Stampede in Bihar During Kartik Purnima Celebrations

Prima facie, one of the children had fallen into the river and the others jumped into the water to rescue the drowning child and lost their own lives.

Naseem Ahmed, Fatuha Police Station-in-charge 

Nine bodies have been fished out so far, said Ahmed, who had gone to the spot after the incident. All the deceased, five girls and four men, are from Dariyapur in Fatuha sub-division of Patna district.

Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Agarwal, however, said, “So far we have confirmation about eight bodies having been recovered from the river.” He also said that the state government would provide an ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of the kin. 

Two people are missing and efforts are on to trace them with the help of divers, Agarwal said.

They should’ve returned after their bath, but went to the dangerous side. The government is not answerable. We can’t post NDRF, SDRF everywhere. Had the government known of the programme, we would’ve made arrangements.  

Bihar Disaster Management Minister to ANI

Meanwhile, three women drowned in the Baghmati river in Samastipur district when a small boat carrying over 12 people capsized, the police said. While some people swam to safety, five others were rescued, Deputy Superintendent of Police in-charge of Rosera sub-division, Ajit Kumar, said.

Locals jumped into the river and fished out the bodies of the three women, aged between 20 and 30 years.

"All those in the boat were involved in the business of cattle-rearing. They cross the river routinely to collect fodder," Kumar said. The boat capsized near Madhurapur Dharmpur Ghat. Divers have been pressed into service to check for more persons, he said. The rescued people were taken to a local primary healthcare centre.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)

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