Brothers drowned in Bhagirathi

Local

Brothers drowned in Bhagirathi during Chhat puja

Two young brothers drowned in the Bhagirathi river here this morning that shocked the pilgrims assembled at the riverbank to observe Chhat.

The brothers were identified as Shivam Sau (20) and Sujan Sau (23), - the residents of Nationalpara locality in Katwa town. One of the brothers reportedly slipped into the deep water while bathing, and the other drowned while trying to rescue him.

The brothers, as was learnt, were performing Chhath Puja rituals with their father and uncle when the accident happened at the Debraj ghat of the Bhagirathi.

The authorities, including a police team and disaster management personnel, quickly arrived and began a search operation with divers in the river, but both couldn't be rescued. The tragedy cast a pall of gloom over the festival celebrations at the river ghat, which was crowded with devotees. Local residents have also claimed the Debrajpur Ghat is dangerous and that repeated complaints about it have gone unheeded by the administration over the years.