Patna: Karma Puja celebrations turned tragic in several parts of the state as at least 12 people, including seven girls, drowned and six went missing in separate incidents in Patna, Banka, Jamui, Aurangabad and Nalanda districts over the past 24 hours. Most of the deaths occurred during ritual bathing or idol immersion linked to the festival.Patna district witnessed multiple incidents. At Post Office Ghat in Barh, three minors entered the Ganga for a bath after immersing a Karma Puja idol. While one child was rescued by locals, Piyush Kumar (10) and Sujeet Kumar (15) were feared drowned. Piyush’s mother said he had gone to participate in the immersion and later entered the river with friends. Rescue operations involving local divers and the SDRF were continuing late Wednesday.In Athmalgola’s Usmanpur village, a brother and sister allegedly feared drowned during idol immersion. Their bodies were yet to be recovered. Another mishap occurred near Champapur village under Bakhtiyarpur police station where six youths entered the Ganga after idol immersion. Three were rescued by villagers, one body was recovered and two remained missing. The deceased was identified as Sahil Kumar, while Golu Kumar and Balbir Kumar were still being searched for.Two drowning deaths were reported in Aurangabad. In Singhana village, 18-year-old Akanksha Kumari drowned while attempting to rescue three friends who had slipped into a deep section of a pond during ritual activities. Villagers rescued the three girls, but Akanksha could not be saved. In a separate incident at Dumra village, 13-year-old Shraddha Kumari drowned while bathing in a pond after Karma Puja rituals.Banka recorded four deaths. Three Class VII students, Pushpa Kumari, Mausam Kumari and Seema Kumari, drowned in a pond at Kasba village when an attempt to rescue a friend went tragically wrong. A six-year-old girl also drowned in another incident in the district.In Jamui’s Amrath village, two girls, Rani Kumari (15) and Chandni Kumari (16), drowned while bathing in a pond associated with festival rituals.Nalanda reported three more deaths. Dilkhush Kumar (19) drowned while trying to save another youth in a pond at Baldha village. Radha Devi (35) drowned in the Goithwa river at Basanpur village, while Nandini Kumari lost her life during a ritual bath at Kumardih village.Authorities have launched rescue and relief operations at several locations, while local residents have raised concerns over safety arrangements at water bodies during festival-related activities.
