16 people drowned in Bihar on the first day of Dussehra festival

Image used for representational purposes. File | Photo credit: Ranjeet Kumar

Amid Vedic chants, shlokas and conch sounds that marked the beginning of the 10-day Dussehra festival on Sunday (October 11, 2026), at least 16 people are feared drowned in Bihar as they went to collect holy water from rivers for the Kalash Sthapana (a sacred ceremony to pray to Durga) to offer the installation of a ceremony de

The festival which ends on Vijayadashami, Tuesday (October 20, 2026).

According to police officials, most of the reports of drowning deaths have come from Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Sitamarhi districts. “It was due to the recent flood situation, the water level in the rivers rose and people inadvertently went into deep water to fetch water for holy purposes, they drowned to death,” a senior police official at the Patna police headquarters told The Hindu on Monday (October 12, 2026) on condition of anonymity. He said there were 16 deaths across the state on Sunday, but “the death toll may rise.”

According to a police official, three deaths were reported from Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Sitamarhi districts and one death each was recorded from districts like Samastipur, Sheohar, Bhojpur, Saran, Begusarai, Nawada and Rohtas.

Two children – Sarvesh Kumar and Neeraj Kumar, both below 15 years – died in Bagaha area under Ramnagar police station in West Champaran district when they were electrocuted while on their way to the river to fetch holy water for the sacred installation of a ceremonial pot in their village.

Celebrations across the state

With the Dussehra festival in the state, various deity puja (worship) organizers have started following various cultural programs across the state.

The three-day Durga Swarotsava, which began on October 9, concluded at Patna’s Ravindra Bhawan on Sunday (October 11, 2026). The program was organized in collaboration with Art and Culture Department, Government of Bihar, with Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain as the chief guest. The program took place from October 9 to 11. A number of folk and vocal artists participated in the program.

Several such musical programs were organized in different parts of the city and across the state during the 10-day Dussehra festival.

Bamboo pandals (makeshift bamboo marquees, pavilions for worshiping deities) and their dazzling electric decorations began to appear at important places in Patna and across the state to the constant hum of Vedic chants and mantras over the microphone. Markets in the state capital were thronged with people with police deployed at every intersection as a “precautionary measure”.

“We too had planned to deploy policemen for a peaceful conclusion to the festival,” said a senior police officer.

Published – 12 Oct 2026 11:36 IST