Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Six Drown in Jharkhand During Karam Festival Immersion
People in Jharkhand were taking part in a ceremony for the Karam festival.
The ceremony involves placing a worshipped tree branch into water.
Five people died during the ceremony in the Koel River at Bokaya village.
Police said an eight-year-old boy went into deep water first.
Four people tried to rescue him, but they also drowned.
A separate incident happened in Nani Jharia, where a 16-year-old girl fell into a pond.
This made the reported total six deaths, including four children.
Another article reported only the five deaths in Bokaya.
Police recovered the bodies and sent them for medical examinations called post-mortems.
A PTI report said six people, including four minors, drowned in two Palamu district incidents.
Five deaths occurred in Bokaya village during immersion in the Koel River, while one occurred in Nani Jharia hamlet.
Police said an eight-year-old boy drifted into deep water in Bokaya, and four rescuers also drowned.
In Nani Jharia, 16-year-old Simpi Kumari reportedly slipped into a pond during an immersion ceremony.
All six bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem examinations, while another report listed only five Bokaya deaths.
- Who
- Six people, including four minors, according to the fuller PTI report; another report counted five victims in Bokaya.
- What
- They drowned during separate ceremonial immersions of Karam tree branches.
- When
- Wednesday, after Karam festival celebrations on Tuesday.
- Where
- Bokaya village’s Koel River and Nani Jharia hamlet’s pond in Palamu district, Jharkhand.
- Why
- The victims were participating in Karam branch immersion ceremonies; in Bokaya, an eight-year-old boy drifted into deep water and rescuers drowned while trying to help him.
- Reported death toll
- Six in the fuller PTI report; five in another report covering Bokaya only
- Minors
- Four in the fuller report; three among the five Bokaya victims
- Bokaya deaths
- Five, during immersion in the Koel River
- Nani Jharia death
- One, 16-year-old Simpi Kumari, who fell into a pond
- Festival
- Karam, described as one of Jharkhand’s biggest tribal festivals after Sarhul
- Incident date
- Wednesday, following Tuesday’s festival celebrations
- Police action
- Bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem examinations
