Numerous children tragically drown during Hindu festival in India

At least 46 people, including 37 children, drowned while bathing in rivers and ponds swollen by recent floods during a Hindu religious festival in north India. The incidents occurred during the observance of the annual festival of Jivitputrika Vrat, where women fast for 24 hours and pray for the well-being of their children. The drownings took place in scattered incidents across 15 districts in the eastern state of Bihar. Some of the rivers and ponds in the state had been swollen by floods following heavy rains. The state government has announced compensation of 400,000 rupees ($4,784) for the families of each of the deceased. While deadly stampedes during religious events have occurred in the past in India, widespread drowning incidents during festivals are rare. Devotees were celebrating the festival by bathing in rivers and ponds in their neighborhood, sometimes accompanied by their children. The tragic incidents highlight the dangers of flooding and the need for safety precautions during religious festivals and gatherings.

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