Patna, Aug 4 || At least five Kanwariyas lost their lives when a DJ-fitted vehicle overturned in a rain-swollen river in Shahkund police station area of Bhagalpur district in Bihar.
The incident happened late Sunday night, and what was meant to be a night of devotion turned into a devastating tragedy for the families.
The incident occurred around 11.30 p.m. near Belthu Mahato Sthan on the Shahkund-Bhagalpur main road, when 12 young devotees were on their way to Sultanganj Ganga Ghat to collect holy water, a ritual performed before offering it at Jaithornath Dham in Amarpur on the last Monday of Sawan.
The DJ vehicle was carrying not only the devotees, a generator and a sound system. Rescue efforts were immediately launched by villagers and Shahkund police, who pulled the victims from the water and rushed them to Shahkund Community Health Centre, where five were declared dead.
According to Shahkund police station SHO Jaynath Sharan, heavy rainfall, darkness, and loud DJ music are believed to have contributed to the accident. The driver reportedly failed to notice the rain-fed stream flowing dangerously close to the road and drove straight into the fast-moving water, causing the vehicle to overturn and submerge.