Five children from a single family lost their lives by drowning in the Fakirana Talab in the Dhavpokhar village of Kaimur district, Bihar on Monday. Among the deceased are three girls, aged 12, 10, and 8, daughters of Shusheel Kumar, a school teacher, and two more casualties, his nephew Aman Kumar, and his niece. The tragic incident occurred as the children, reportedly nine in total, went to the pond for bathing and fishing, ultimately leading to the drowning of five of them.
Suresh Ram, the grandfather of the deceased children, recounted that the family was engaged in harvesting paddy in the fields when the children left their homes, ostensibly for lunch, but diverted towards the pond. While four children were rescued from the pond alive, the bodies of the other five were recovered. All the deceased children were under the age of 12.
Shiv Shankar Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Bhabhua, informed that the children had gone to the Fakirana Talab for bathing and fishing. Upon seeing them drowning, villagers immediately rushed to the spot, rescued the children, and took them to the hospital. However, the doctors declared them dead upon arrival.
A post-mortem will also be conducted, as per local inputs.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs. 4 lakhs each to the families of the deceased.
The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) statement, originally in Hindi, conveyed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's condolences over the tragic incident. The statement emphasised the Chief Minister's deep empathy for the affected families, assuring them of his support during this difficult time. Furthermore, it stated that CM Nitish Kumar has directed the provision of immediate financial assistance, announcing an ex gratia compensation of Rs. 4 lakhs each to the next of kin of the deceased.
With Inputs By Dilip Kumarstate