PATNA: Chhath Puja celebrations turned to tragedy for a family in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district on Tuesday when three cousins tragically drowned while taking a ritual bath in the Ganga river. The incident occurred at Mohanpur Ghat during the first-day rituals of the festival, known as nahay-khay, where devotees take a holy dip and offer prayers.
According to police, the cousins, all teenagers, were part of a group of eight family members—including three women and five children—who had gathered at the ghat for the Chhath Puja. As the children waded into the river, one of them ventured too far into the deeper waters and was swept away by the strong currents. Four others tried to rescue him, but tragically, they too were pulled under by the swift flow of the water.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer Arjun Gupta confirmed that the three victims—aged between 14 and 17—drowned before they could be rescued. Efforts to retrieve their bodies were immediately launched, and police are investigating the cause of the incident.
In a separate tragedy on the same day, two people drowned in different incidents in Begusarai district, adding to the sorrow of the Chhath Puja celebrations in the region.
Authorities have issued safety warnings urging devotees to exercise caution while participating in the traditional bathing rituals, especially in the fast-flowing waters of the Ganga.
