Patna: Tensions escalated in Patna on Tuesday after the body of a 28-year-old man who drowned in a local pond remained unrecovered for more than 12 hours, prompting protests and a road blockade that caused severe traffic disruption.
The man, identified as Bilendra Manjhi, was a resident of Mohan Chak in the Bikram police station area. He is believed to have drowned in Bhusaula Pond, which falls under the jurisdiction of PhulwariSharif police station, late on Monday night.
According to local reports, Manjhi had been attending a tilak ceremony hosted by relatives near the pond. At around 10pm, he reportedly stepped away from the gathering and is thought to have slipped and fallen into the water. Despite immediate efforts by locals and attendees to locate him, the search did not yield results.
Frustration mounted among family members and villagers as the body remained missing into Tuesday morning. At approximately 9am, a group of protesters gathered at the AIIMS roundabout, blocking the road and setting objects alight. The demonstration brought traffic to a standstill, with long queues of vehicles forming along the route.
Protesters accused local authorities of failing to respond promptly and alleged negligence in the rescue operation. They have called for the immediate deployment of trained divers to recover the body so that last rites can be performed.
Police were deployed to the scene and were working to restore order, while a tense atmosphere continued to prevail in the area. Authorities have not yet issued a detailed statement on the delay in recovery efforts.
