Motihari/Patna: Four minor girls drowned in a pond while bathing during the Jiutiya festival in Bankat village under Paharpur police station in Motihari, East Champaran.
The incident triggered panic in the village as residents rushed to the pond after the girls were seen struggling in the water.
Girls Pulled From Pond
According to reports, women and girls from the village had gathered at the pond to bathe as part of Jiutiya festival observances.
The four girls reportedly entered deeper water while bathing. When people nearby realised that they were drowning, villagers rushed into the pond and pulled them out.
The girls were taken to the Community Health Centre in Paharpur with the help of local residents. Doctors examined them and declared all four dead.
Victims Identified
The deceased have been identified as:
- Sonamati, 13, daughter of Pramod Mahto
- Phulmati, 10, daughter of Pramod Mahto
- Sonali Kumari, 10, daughter of Virendra Mahto
- Pratima Kumari, 12, daughter of Achhelal Paswan
Police Begin Formalities
After receiving information about the incident, Paharpur police reached the spot and gathered details of the incident.
Police took possession of the bodies and sent them to Motihari for post-mortem examinations. Necessary legal formalities are underway.
The deaths cast a pall of grief over Bankat village, where families had been observing the Jiutiya festival. The families of the four girls were left devastated by the tragedy, while the village mourned the deaths of the children.
