Patna: A young man who saved three people from drowning during Chhath Puja celebrations in Bihar has gone missing after being swept away by the river, in an incident that has left a local community in shock.
The incident took place at Brahmachari Ganga Ghat in Maner, near Patna, on Wednesday morning as devotees gathered to offer arghya to the rising sun, one of the most significant rituals of the Hindu festival. According to local reports, panic broke out when three people – identified as Kunti Devi, Kallu and Rupesh – drifted into deeper waters while bathing and began to struggle.
Witnesses said the crowd hesitated as cries for help rang out across the ghat. It was then that Bittu Kumar, a resident of Lalbegwa village who had come to the river with his family, entered the water in an attempt to rescue them.
He was able to pull all three individuals to safety, drawing praise from onlookers. However, moments after the rescue, Kumar was caught in the strong current of the Ganges and disappeared beneath the surface.
Family members and villagers gathered at the site as news spread, with many describing the incident as both heroic and devastating. “He saved others but could not save himself,” one local resident said.
Authorities said a search operation had been launched soon after the incident. Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed with boats and were continuing efforts to locate the missing man.
Police officials added that security measures at the ghat had been intensified following the incident, and that further precautions would be taken during the ongoing festival.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over Chhath Puja celebrations in the area, with villagers mourning the loss of a young man whose actions are being remembered as an act of extraordinary courage.
