Two women Chhath devotees were killed and another injured as they were trapped under a tractor which overturned on NH-28 in Bihar's East Champaran district today, a police officer said.
The incident occurred near an embankment on Sikharna river as the speeding tractor driver lost control and the vehicle overturned trapping three persons under it while they were on their way to the river to pay obeisance to the rising Sun on the occasion of Chhath, Sugauli Police Station in-charge Vijay Kumar Yadav said.
While the two devotees, identified as Poonam Devi (35) and Priyanka Kumari (18) died on the spot, a teenaged boy sustained injuries, he said.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and the injured admitted to Sadar hospital for treatment, Yadav said, adding the tractor driver escaped after abandoning his vehicle.
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Meanwhile, a report from Chapra said two Chhath devotees drowned today in river Ganga near a village in Bihar's Saran district, an officer said.
The incident took place near Sheikh Dumri village when a boat carrying 13 Chhath devotees capsized in the Ganga in which the two girls, identified as Chanchal Kumar (13) and Anisa Sahni (3) met a watery grave.
Eleven others swam to safety, Sonepur Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Madan Kumar said.
The bodies have been fished out and handed over to the families for cremation after post-mortem, he said.
Kumar said an ex-gratia assistance of Rs. Four lakh each has been given to the families of the two victims.
