Two girls drown in Bhagalpur river on Raksha Bandhan, third still missing
Synopsis
On Raksha Bandhan, three girls bathing at Margang Ghat in Bihar's Bhagalpur were swept away by a strong river current. Two — Monali Kumari, 17, and Chanda Kumari, 16 — were recovered dead. Eight-year-old Abhilasha Kumari remained missing as police and administration continued search operations into the evening.
Key Takeaways
Two girls — Monali Kumari, 17 , and Chanda Kumari, 16 — drowned at Margang Ghat, Bhagalpur on 28 August .
A third girl, Abhilasha Kumari, 8 , remained missing; search operations were ongoing.
All three were daughters of families from Olni Tola and were bathing together on Raksha Bandhan .
Two other girls who were with them escaped and raised the alarm.
Circle Officer Chandrashekhar Kumar and BDO Abhimanyu Kumar reached the spot to oversee rescue efforts.
Two teenage girls drowned and a third remained missing on 28 August after three girls were swept away by a strong current while bathing at Margang Ghat in Olni Tola, under Pirpainti police station in Bhagalpur district, Bihar. The tragedy unfolded on Raksha Bandhan, turning a day of celebration into mourning for the families and the village.
How the Incident Unfolded
At around 11:30 am, five girls had gone to bathe in the river together. Three of them were reportedly swept away by the strong current. The two girls who managed to escape raised an alarm, prompting family members and villagers to rush to the spot immediately.
Villagers entered the water and launched a search. After an extensive effort, the bodies of two of the three missing girls were recovered from the river.
The Deceased and the Missing
The two girls who died have been identified as Monali Kumari, 17, a Class 10 student at Uchcha Vidyalaya Budhchak, and Chanda Kumari, 16, a Class 8 student at Madhya Vidyalaya Olni Tola. Both were daughters of Munna Paswan of Olni Tola.
The third girl, Abhilasha Kumari, 8, a Class 4 student at Madhya Vidyalaya Olni Tola and daughter of Arvind Paswan, was still missing at the time of reporting. Search operations were continuing.
Search and Rescue Operations
Police and local administration were alerted by villagers and swiftly initiated a search operation. Mukhiya representative Sukesh Yadav, Circle Officer Chandrashekhar Kumar, and Block Development Officer Abhimanyu Kumar reached the spot and took stock of the rescue efforts.
Police and administrative officials remained present at the ghat as efforts to locate Abhilasha continued.
Grief on a Festive Day
The incident cast a pall of gloom over the village on Raksha Bandhan. The mothers of the deceased girls, Rani Devi and Kranti Devi, were reportedly inconsolable. Their brothers had been preparing to celebrate the festival when news of the tragedy reached them, turning the festive atmosphere into one of deep mourning.
As the search for Abhilasha continued, authorities urged residents to exercise caution near river ghats, particularly during festive gatherings.
Point of View
Where ghats are crowded but safety infrastructure remains thin. This incident — three young girls swept away on Raksha Bandhan, two dead, one still missing — is not an outlier; it is part of a pattern. The presence of a Circle Officer and BDO at the scene signals administrative response, but the absence of preventive measures at known bathing ghats during peak festive days points to a systemic gap that accountability must address.
NationPress
29 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the Bhagalpur river drowning incident occur?
The incident occurred at Margang Ghat in Olni Tola, under Pirpainti police station in Bhagalpur district, Bihar, on 28 August. The girls were swept away by a strong river current while bathing.
Who are the girls who drowned in Bhagalpur?
The two deceased girls are Monali Kumari, 17, a Class 10 student, and Chanda Kumari, 16, a Class 8 student — both daughters of Munna Paswan of Olni Tola. An eight-year-old, Abhilasha Kumari, daughter of Arvind Paswan, remained missing.
What is the status of the search for the missing girl?
As of the time of reporting, eight-year-old Abhilasha Kumari was still missing. Police, administrative officials, and local residents were conducting an active search operation at the ghat.
Why did the incident happen on Raksha Bandhan?
The five girls had gone to bathe in the river together on Raksha Bandhan, a major Hindu festival. Three of them were reportedly swept away by the strong current; the other two escaped and raised the alarm.
Which officials responded to the Bhagalpur drowning?
Mukhiya representative Sukesh Yadav, Circle Officer Chandrashekhar Kumar, and Block Development Officer Abhimanyu Kumar reached the spot and monitored rescue and search operations alongside police personnel.
