A tragic accident marred the Saraswati idol immersion celebrations in Bihar’s Samastipur district on Wednesday. A tractor-trolley carrying over 25 devotees flipped into a 20-foot ditch near Namapur Shanti River bridge, claiming two young lives and leaving others critically injured.
The mishap occurred in Chakmahesi police station limits as the group from Bhuskaul village returned from immersing the idol at Soramar Dhala ghat. Eyewitnesses reported the driver swerved to avoid another vehicle, losing control and plunging into the deep pit. Chaos ensued as four people, including the driver and three children, got trapped underneath the wreckage.
Villagers rallied with JCB machines to lift the trolley, rushing the victims to Kalyanpur PHC. Doctors declared two children—Abhiraj (7) and Anushka (4), son and daughter of Umashankar Thakur—dead on arrival. Tractor driver Vijay Trivedi and young Suman Kumar, son of Bittu Ram, remain in critical condition at Samastipur Sadar Hospital.
Police have launched an investigation into the overloading and road safety lapses. The incident has cast a pall over the village, transforming festive joy into profound grief. Authorities urge stricter vehicle regulations during such religious processions to prevent future tragedies.