A pond in Taraita Bahiyar, Bhagalpur district, swallowed six children during a ritual bath on Monday as part of the Karma‑Dharma festival.
Three of the victims were girls—Pooja Kumari, 13, and Jyoti Kumari, 14—while the others were boys Rahul Kumar, 14; Vikas Kumar, 13; Ayush Kumar, 12; and Meenakshi Kumari, 12; classmates tried to rescue a boy who had waded into deep water, but all slipped and drowned before help arrived.
Sultanganj Circle Officer Raman Kumar and Station House Officer Dhananjay Kumar reached the site within minutes, declared a preliminary investigation, and guided rescue teams to the pond; doctors at Sultanganj Referral Hospital confirmed the deaths after retrieving the bodies.
Raman Kumar told reporters that families would receive full assistance and compensation under state guidelines, while residents demanded stricter safety measures around the pond, citing a lack of warning signs.
The police investigation will continue this week, with authorities expected to publish a detailed report by Friday.