Patna: A 15-year-old boy drowned in the Ganga river while bathing with his family in Patna on Sunday morning. The incident happened near the staircase ghat in Bakhtiyarpur, a town close to Patna. The boy, Arun Kumar, had come from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh with his parents and sister to take a holy dip in the river. But their peaceful visit turned into a tragedy they will never forget.
Arun’s father, Ranjeet Kumar, works as an engineer in Bakhtiyarpur Tajpur Mahasetu Nirman Company. On Sunday morning, he went to the newly built ghat along with his wife, son, and daughter. As they prepared to bathe, Arun entered the water first and started taking dips. His parents kept telling him not to go deeper, but suddenly his foot slipped, and he was carried away by the strong river current.
People nearby tried to help. Social worker Bhola Pandey, who was present at the ghat, jumped in to save Arun but could not reach him in time. The parents and sister screamed and cried as they saw him disappear into the water. The mother and father fainted again and again, unable to bear the pain of losing their only son before their eyes.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) searched for Arun till late evening but could not find his body. After hearing about the incident, George Joseph and Vasu, senior officials from Ranjeet Kumar’s company, visited the family and assured them of every possible help. What was meant to be a day of prayer and peace became a day of sorrow and endless grief for this family.
