Bengal Minister's brother swept away in river during religious ritual

"Ashim Ghatak, a senior advocate of Asansol sub-divisional magistrate court in the district and elder brother of state Minister Moloy Ghatak went missing while offering 'tarpan' in the Damodar river on Tuesday afternoon. It seems he was swept away in the river," an officer from Hirapur police station said.

Ghatak was performing the 'tarpan' ritual of paying homage to ancestors on the occasion of Mahalaya.

Senior police officers from the district rushed to the spot along with disaster management personnel and started rescue operations but Ghatak's body could not be located till late evening.

The Minister himself was present at the spot during the rescue operation.

The ritual of tarpan is observed by Hindus on the day of Mahalaya, held before the five-day Durga Puja begins and essentially heralds the homecoming of the goddess.