Six Children Drown While Bathing for Karma-Dharma Festival in Bihar’s Bhagalpur

September 21, 2026

Patna: Six children drowned in a tragic incident in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district on Monday morning while bathing in a waterlogged agricultural field ahead of the Karma-Dharma festival, officials said.

The incident took place around 10 a.m. in the Narayanpur Bahiyar area under the Ajgaivinath Dham block of Sultanganj police station limits. According to police, the children had gone to the area for a ritual bath and preparations related to the festival when the tragedy occurred.

Six Children Drown in Waterlogged Field

The victims were identified as Puja Kumari (13), daughter of Puran Mandal; Rahul Kumar (14); Vikas Kumar (13), son of Ranjan Kumar; Ayush Kumar (12), son of Vinod Mandal; Meenakshi Kumari, also known as Minki (12), daughter of Valmiki Mandal; and Jyoti Kumari (14), daughter of Dhananjay Mandal.

Five of the children were residents of Bishnu Tola in Ward 27 of the Nagar Parishad area, while Jyoti was from Ranchdidipur village.

Local residents said the agricultural fields had accumulated deep water following recent rainfall and a rise in the water level of the Ganga.

According to eyewitnesses, one child slipped into a deeper section of the water. The others reportedly tried to rescue the child but could not judge the depth of the water and the marshy terrain beneath, resulting in all six drowning.

Villagers Retrieve Bodies From Water

After news of the incident spread, family members and villagers rushed to the spot. Local youths entered the water and retrieved the children.

The victims were taken to a Community Health Centre, where doctors declared all six dead on arrival.

The tragedy has left the families and the locality in deep grief as preparations for the Karma-Dharma festival were underway.

Police Begin Investigation

Police and administrative officials reached the spot soon after receiving information about the incident.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, while further legal formalities are underway.

The incident has once again highlighted the risks posed by waterlogged areas and rising water levels following heavy rainfall, particularly during festival-related bathing activities.