Chhath Festival tragedy in Bihar: 83 drown, nine in Patna

Published on: 29 Oct 2025 at 09:04 AM

Published by: Gill Bikram

Chhath Festival tragedy in Bihar: 83 drown, nine in Patna

The joyous celebrations of Chhath Puja turned into a heartbreaking tragedy across Bihar, as 83 people lost their lives while performing rituals in rivers and ponds. The majority of the incidents occurred on Monday and Tuesday, during the festival’s main bathing rituals.

According to state officials, most victims slipped into deep water while preparing ghats, bathing, or offering prayers. Among the deceased, 34 were from southern Bihar, 30 from the Kosi-Seemanchal region, and 19 from northern Bihar.

In Patna district, at least 15 people drowned at different ghats, of whom nine have been confirmed dead. Three deaths were reported in Mokama, while two each occurred in Barh, Bihta, and Khagaul. Rescue operations are still underway to locate two missing youths in Maner and another in Athmalgola. One young man was miraculously saved after an hour of CPR at Gopalpur.

Similar tragedies struck other districts. Two teenagers drowned in Vaishali’s Raghopur and Mahua, while one woman lost her life in Mahnar. In Gopalganj’s Bhoor area, two people drowned, along with two in Aurangabad, and one each in Bhojpur, Begusarai, Nawanganj, Rohtas, and Chhapra.

Family tragedy in Mokama: Brother drowns, sister dies of shock

In a particularly heartbreaking incident in Mokama’s Barhpur ghat, 21-year-old Rocky Paswan drowned while bathing in the Ganges early Tuesday morning. His sister, Sapna Kumari, upon hearing the news, collapsed and later died of shock at a local hospital. Rocky, the son of Chooha Paswan, had recently cleared the physical test for the Home Guard, bringing joy to his family—only for the festival to end in sorrow.

Local SDRF teams and divers recovered Rocky’s body after intensive efforts. His sister’s sudden demise deepened the grief of the family, leaving their community in mourning.

Heart attack claims one devotee after ritual

Another tragic incident was reported from Baadh’s Jamunichak, where 60-year-old Munni Devi suffered a fatal heart attack while returning home after the Chhath ritual. Despite being rushed to the sub-divisional hospital, doctors declared her dead on arrival. Her family members were inconsolable as the double blow of festival-related deaths shook the district.

The Bihar government has directed local administrations to increase safety measures at ghats, deploy rescue teams, and ensure medical support during religious events to prevent such tragedies in the future.