Six children drown in pond in Saharsa during Chhath Puja preparations

Six children, aged between 10 and 12 years, drowned in a village pond in Saharsa during Chhath Puja preparations on Tuesday morning. The four-day Chhath Puja began on Monday. The evening offering to Sun god will be made on Wednesday evening.

Police said the incident took place inside the premises of a petrol pump at Sadar police station area where 12 children had gone to prepare ghats near a pond. Children were not accompanied by their parents or guardians.

Of 12 children who had gone inside the pond, six manged to come out of it. Sadar police station in-charge Suryakant Pandey confirmed the incident and said as the pond was privately owned, local administration did not monitor ghat preparations there.