A joyous festive atmosphere turned into immense tragedy in Jharkhand's Palamu district when young children participating in religious rituals drowned in deep river waters. The heart-wrenching incident occurred near Bokeya-Patariya village, which falls under the jurisdiction of Chainpur police station. The youngsters had gathered along the banks of the Koel river to perform the ritual immersion concluding the Karma Puja festival. During the rituals, several children ventured into a treacherous, deeper section of the river and were rapidly overwhelmed by the depth and water currents. Five children lost their lives in the tragic mishap, sending shockwaves of grief across the surrounding rural belt.
Tragedy Unfolds Along the Koel River Bank
According to available details, the children had gone to the banks of the Koel river on Monday morning carrying ceremonial materials meant for the Karma Puja immersion. While performing the traditional rites, some of the children stepped toward an area where the riverbed drops sharply into deep water. Unable to gauge the water level, they slipped under and began drowning. Alerted by immediate commotion, local villagers rushed to the river bank and launched desperate efforts to pull the children out of the water. Despite rigorous rescue attempts by the villagers, the children had already died by the time they were recovered from the river.
Police and Administrative Officials Take Stock
As soon as word of the accident reached local authorities, a team from Chainpur police station arrived at the spot. Sub-Divisional Police Officer Rajesh Kumar Yadav and police station in-charge Lalji inspected the scene to assess what had transpired. Police personnel took custody of the bodies of the five deceased children and sent them for formal post-mortem examination. Local MLA Alok Chaurasia also arrived at the location after receiving news of the tragedy, reviewing the ground situation and meeting bereaved family members to express heartfelt condolences.
Finance Minister Visits MMCH and Orders Support
Taking note of the devastating tragedy, Jharkhand Finance Minister Radha Krishna Kishore reached MMCH to gather full details regarding the incident. At the hospital facility, he met with the grieving family members to console them during their irreparable loss. Terming the loss of young lives deeply tragic, the Finance Minister directed the district administration to immediately arrange and deliver every possible form of assistance and official relief to the affected families.
Five Funerals Depart Village Simultaneously
The atmosphere in Bokeya-Patariya village turned utterly desolate as the remains were brought back for their final rites. When funeral processions for all five children moved together through the village pathways, weeping crowds of villagers gathered in shared agony. The bodies were escorted back toward the Koel river ghat for final cremation ceremonies. Superintendent of Police Kapil Choudhary, Sub-Divisional Officer Sanjay Pandey, and SDPO Rajesh Yadav also met the families, joined the funeral procession, and shared their grief. Financial assistance was provided directly by the SP to support the bereaved households.
NDRF Mobilised to Trace Missing Child
District administrative authorities confirmed that one more child remains unaccounted for, and intense search efforts are ongoing in the river waters. To strengthen the ongoing rescue and retrieval operations, a dedicated NDRF unit has been called in. Combined teams of local administration, police, and specialized rescue personnel are executing an extensive sweep across the river area to locate the missing youngster. The tragic drowning in the midst of Karma Puja festivities has cast a pervasive pall of mourning over the entire district.
