At least 46 people, including 37 children and 7 women, drowned while taking holy dips in rivers and ponds in separate incidents during the Jitiya festival fast in Bihar on Wednesday.

Jitiya fast is observed by women across Bihar, seeking divine protection for
their children.

There are fears that the death toll may rise, as information from different parts of the state was still reaching the state headquarters.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar announced ₹4 lakh as ex-gratia to the families of the deceased.

The maximum number of deaths were reported in Aurangabad district where seven children drowned in two separate incidents at Kushaha village in Madanpur block and Itahat village in Barun block, respectively.

According to the disaster management department (DMD), similar incidents also occurred in East Champaran, West Champaran, Nalanda, Kaimur, Rohtas, Buxar, Siwan, Saran, Patna,
Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Gopalganj and Arwal districts.

“Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are conducting search operations across Bihar, and have recovered 43 dead bodies. We have started providing ex-gratia on the directions of the chief minister and next of the kin of eight deceased have received it so far,” a senior DMD official told The Telegraph on the condition of anonymity.

Asked whether the high number of deaths indicated laxity on the part of the district administrations and the police in preparing for the event, the DMD official asserted that the irresponsibility of the people was far greater than the administration.

The official added: “This religious fast is observed on such a huge scale that it is almost impossible to monitor each and every water body in the state, even if all police personnel and government employees are put on duty. The key to stay safe is to practice caution near ponds and rivers.”