Tragedy Strikes Hindu Festival in India: Nearly 40 Children Drown During Ritual Bathing

In a devastating incident in eastern India, at least 46 people, including 37 children and seven women, have drowned while celebrating the Hindu Jivitputrika festival. The fatalities, which occurred across 15 districts within the past 24 hours, resulted from victims ritually bathing in rivers and ponds swollen by recent flooding.

The three-day festival, which honors children’s wellbeing, is traditionally marked by mothers fasting and families participating in ritual baths. This year, the swollen water bodies, exacerbated by recent floods, have turned the celebratory ritual into a deadly disaster.

Local disaster management officials have expressed fears that the death toll could rise further. State authorities have promised compensation for the families and relatives of the victims.

Fatal accidents during religious festivals are not uncommon in India, where large gatherings often take place with insufficient safety measures. This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by such gatherings, especially during adverse weather conditions.