Woman drowns in Hooghly River

Kolkata: A woman died after drowning in the Hooghly River on Saturday while offering prayers on the occasion of Mahalaya.

According to a news agency, the resident of Belur in Howrah district had come down to Palghat to take the holy dip when she was swept away in the tide.

The deceased was rescued after some time and taken to a hospital, where the doctors declared her dead. Constant vigilance has been ensured at Belur Math Ghat by the Howrah City Police.

It was reported that in another incident around five people drowned at BB Street Ghat in Uttarpara.

The Chandannagar Police Commissionerate reached the spot after receiving the information. It has been reported that three people were rescued while two others are still missing.

On Mahalaya, the ghats along the Hooghly began to fill up with devotees taking holy dip. By around 9.00 am, nearly one lakh devotees had congregated along the ghats for the ritualistic ‘tarpan’ and dip, according to Kolkata Police. Personnel from the River Traffic Police’s Disaster Management Group maintained constant vigil from boats on the river, frequently announcing safety guidelines to devotees using megaphones.