Six people drowned in two separate incidents during ‘Karam Dali Visarjan’ in Palamu district, a traditional ritual where tribal communities immerse Karam (tree) branches after the Karma festival, said people aware of the matter on Wednesday.
The major incident took place around 8AM at the banks of Koel river in Bokeya Patariya (Bokya) village, under Chainpur police station, where five people lost their lives in a sudden, tragic sequence of events.
The victims were identified as Nitish Singh (18), Amit Kumar Thakur (22), Raja Singh (12), Vishal Paswan (16) and Hemant Singh (8).
Palamu SP Kapil Choudhary said, “A group had gathered at the banks of Koel river for the traditional immersion rituals. The accident began when an 12-year-old boy, Raja Singh, was suddenly swept away by strong currents while bathing. In a heroic attempt to save him, four others jumped into the river. Tragically, the swift water swept off all of them.”
The second incident occurred in Nani Jhariya village under Patan police station. During a similar immersion ritual, 15-yr-old Simpi Kumari lost her footing in the river and drowned.
SP Choudhary confirmed the second incident but expressed his inability to detail the chain of events. “While the Chainpur fatalities are confirmed, official administrative reports regarding the exact details of the Patan incident are still being compiled,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}SP Choudhary confirmed the second incident but expressed his inability to detail the chain of events. “While the Chainpur fatalities are confirmed, official administrative reports regarding the exact details of the Patan incident are still being compiled,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}As a wave of grief swept through the region, leaders expressed their deep condolences and called for immediate support to the affected families.
CM Hemant Soren took to X to express his solidarity with the bereaved families.
“The news of people drowning in a river during the ‘Karam Dali Visarjan’ (immersion) incident in Palamu is deeply saddening and distressing. I extend my deepest condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives in this tragic incident. I pray to Marang Buru to grant peace to the departed souls and the strength to the grieving families to endure this immense sorrow,” Soren’s X message reads
Local MLA Alok Chourasia visited the grieving villages to meet the inconsolable families. Expressing grave concern over the lack of preventative safety measures at the immersion sites, Chourasia demanded swift government intervention and immediate financial compensation for the next of kin of the deceased.