10-year-old boy drowns at Alepur Chhath Ghat in Bihar, family devastated

On Friday, a tragic drowning occurred at Alepur Chhath Ghat under Kadam Gachi Panchayat in Barsoi, when 10-year-old Shubham Kumar Saha went missing during the Chhath Puja celebrations. Shubham had been at the ghat with his parents when he was last seen near the river. After a brief period, when Shubham failed to return, his family and local villagers initiated a search for him in the Mahananda River.

The search lasted for about 30 minutes before Shubham was found unconscious in the water and pulled out by the locals. He was immediately rushed to the Sub-Divisional Hospital, where he was attended to by Dr. Prem Kumar. Despite medical efforts, Dr. Kumar declared Shubham dead upon arrival at the hospital. Hospital officials confirmed that the cause of death was drowning, and no other injuries were noted on his body. The family was informed of the devastating news, with Shubham’s parents, Ratan Saha and Pramila Devi, overcome by grief.

In the wake of the incident, local political figures, including Manoranjan Gandhi, Mukhiya Mouzam Hussain, and Habib Bajaj, arrived at the hospital to express their condolences to the family. The leaders also extended their support and promised to assist the family in dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy. Circle Officer Shyam Sundar Shah also visited the hospital, meeting with the family and directing the hospital authorities to expedite the completion of the incident report.

Circle Officer Shah confirmed that the government would provide compensation to the family in accordance with regulations, contingent upon the post-mortem report. Dr. Prem Kumar stated that the post-mortem process had been completed and the report was expected soon. Authorities have begun an official investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the drowning. Additionally, the local administration has been tasked with ensuring that safety measures are reviewed at public gathering places like Chhath ghats to prevent future incidents.