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

Amidst Vedic chants, shlokas and conch sounds which marked the beginning of the 10-day Dussehra festival on Sunday (October 11, 2026), at least 16 people are feared to have drowned to death in Bihar when they had gone to fetch holy water from rivers for Kalash Sthapana (a sacred installation of a ceremonial pot) to offer prayers to the deity Durga.

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

According to police officials, most of the death reports from drowning have come from the districts of Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Sitamarhi. “It was due to recent flood situation, the water–level in rivers are risen and people inadvertently gone into deep water to fetch water for holy purpose drowned to death”, a senior police official at Patna police headquarters told The Hindu on Monday (October 12, 2026), preferring anonymity. He said that as many as 16 deaths happened across the state on Sunday, but “the death toll may go up”.

According to the police official, three death incidents have been reported from Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Sitamarhi districts, and one death has been recorded each in districts like Samastipur, Sheohar, Bhojpur, Saran, Begusarai, Nawada and Rohtas.

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

Celebrations across the State

With the Dussehra festival began in the State different deity puja (worship) organisers have started observing different cultural programs across the State.

On Sunday (October 11, 2026), the three-day Durga Swarotsava, which had started on October 9, concluded in Patna’s Ravindra Bhawan. The programme was organised in association with the Bihar government’s art and culture department in which Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain was the chief guest. The programme was held from October 9-11. A number of folk and vocal artiste participated in the programme.

Several such musical programmes have been organised in different parts of the city and across the State during the 10-day Dussehra festival.

Bamboo pandals (makeshift bamboo marquees, pavilions for deity worship) and their dazzling electric decorations have begun to appear at important locations in Patna and across the State, with the constant buzz of Vedic chants and mantras over the mic. The markets of the State capital was buzzing with people with deployment of policemen at every intersection for “precautionary measures”.

“We, too, have planned to deploy policemen for the peaceful conclusion of the festival,” said the senior policeman.