Koel River Drowning: Jharkhand Karam Festival Turns Tragic as Five Drown in Koel River

Koel River Drowning: A traditional celebration in Jharkhand’s Palamu district ended in tragedy after five people drowned in the Koel River during a Karam festival ritual.

The incident took place near Bokaya village, a remote settlement where tribal residents had gathered on Tuesday to observe the traditional Karam festival. As part of the ritual, a sacred tree branch was worshipped during the celebrations.

The group later headed to the Koel River in the early hours of Wednesday to immerse the branch. Five people entered the river to carry out the ritual when they were swept away by the strong current.

People present at the spot immediately tried to rescue them, but the effort was unsuccessful. The river was flowing rapidly, making it difficult for those nearby to reach the victims.

Local fishermen were later called in to assist with the search. They eventually recovered the bodies from the river, bringing a tragic end to the festival gathering.

Police said that three of the five victims were minors. The authorities have started gathering details about the incident and the circumstances that led to the group entering the river.

The Karam festival is traditionally observed by several tribal communities with prayers, songs and rituals centred around the Karam tree. The incident has cast a shadow over the celebrations in the village.