CM in shock after 7 girls drown in pond

Seven girls aged between 12 and 20 years drowned in a pond at a village in Jharkhand’s Latehar district yesterday during ‘Karma Puja’ festivities, a senior official said.

The tragedy occurred at Bukru village under Shregada within Balumath police station limits when the girls had gone to the pond for immersion after Karma Puja, a major festival in Jharkhand, Deputy Commissioner Abu Imran said.

The Deputy Development Commissioner of the district, Shekhar Verma has been asked to hold an inquiry, Imran said.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed shock over the incident.