At least 46 people, including 37 children, drowned in the Indian state of Bihar as they bathed in rivers and lakes during the Hindu ‘Jitiya’ festival. The state's water bodies have been overflowing following heavy rains, resulting in treacherous conditions during the festival, which involves bathing rituals, The Hindu reported.

The fatalities were reported across multiple districts, including Aurangabad, Saran, Rohtas, and West Champaran.

In Aurangabad alone, 10 children died, with the bodies of two missing children recovered later. Other areas also witnessed tragic losses, with seven people drowning in Kaimur, including four teenagers. In Saran, five children drowned, and in Patna, five people, including four women, lost their lives. Four girls were swept away by strong currents while bathing in the Sone River, east of Bihar's capital.

Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his condolences and announced compensation of INR400,000 ($4,800) for the families of each victim. As of Wednesday, 20 families had received payments, with additional claims being processed, according to an official from Bihar's Disaster Management Control Room. Eyewitnesses and locals blamed the lack of adequate crowd management for the high death toll, stating that authorities failed to deploy disaster management teams in time.

A resident of Rohtas district mentioned that better coordination and deployment of teams could have reduced the number of casualties. Despite these claims, no official response has been given to the allegations of negligence. The disaster underscores the risks posed by monsoon-swollen rivers and insufficient safety measures during large-scale public gatherings.