Patna: Seven girls drowned while bathing in the Ganga at Ranisarai Ganga Ghat in Bakhtiyarpur on Monday morning, prompting a search operation by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
Local residents rescued three girls from the river, while four were swept into deeper water. Two bodies have been recovered so far, while the search for the remaining missing girls continues.
The missing girls have been identified as Aarti, 21, and Nandani, 16, daughters of Avadhesh Chandravanshi; Radhika, 15, daughter of Kamlesh Chandravanshi; and Babli, 6, daughter of Mantu Chandravanshi.
Girls Drown While Trying To Rescue Each Other
The incident took place at around 7:30am when the girls went to the ghat to bathe, according to local residents.
One of the girls reportedly began drowning, following which the others entered the river in an attempt to rescue her. Seven girls were caught in the strong current during the rescue effort.
Villagers who witnessed the incident entered the river and managed to pull three girls to safety. The remaining four were swept into deeper water.
SDRF Conducts Search Operation
Police reached the spot after receiving information about the incident. A large number of villagers and family members also gathered at the ghat.
Residents briefly blocked the road, demanding the deployment of an SDRF team. The blockade lasted for around 20 minutes, according to the information provided.
An SDRF team subsequently reached the site and began searching the river for the missing girls. The search operation is continuing.
All seven girls are reported to be cousins. Grieving family members gathered at the ghat as rescue teams continued the search.
