16 people drowned to death in Bihar on the first day of Dussehra festival

According to police officials, most of the death reports from drowning have come from the districts of Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Sitamarhi.Amidst Vedic chants, shlokas and conch sounds which marked the beginning of the 10-day Dussehra festival on Sunday (October 11, 2026), at least 16 people are feared to have drowned to death in Bihar when they had gone to fetch holy water from rivers for Kalash Sthapana (a sacred installation of a ceremonial pot) to offer prayers to the deity Durga.