By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: A tragic incident occurred in Patna, Bihar, where a government teacher lost his life after drowning in the Ganga river in Danapur. The teacher, identified as Avinash Kumar, son of Raj Karan Prasad, and a resident of Sarathua, Patna, was crossing the river by boat with fellow teachers on his way to school. During the journey, their boat collided with another vessel coming from the opposite direction, causing Avinash Kumar, who taught at Upkramit Uchch Madhyamik Vidyalaya Chhota Kasimchak, to fall into the river.
Heartbreakingly, despite his desperate pleas for help, none of the teachers on the boat attempted to rescue him. Even the boatman did not make an effort to save the drowning teacher.
Pallavi Kumari, a female colleague of the deceased, recounted the incident. She mentioned that they would typically commute together by motorcycle. On the day of the incident, with exams ongoing at the school, Avinash parked his bike and was preparing for the day when the boat accident occurred. She added, “They untied the boat we were on. I shouted for someone to throw a rescue rope, but all the sailors fled, despite knowing how to swim. Avinash Kumar did not know how to swim.”
Upon receiving the news, the District Magistrate dispatched the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team to the location. Currently, search efforts are ongoing to recover the teacher’s body. The Block Education Officer and Block Development Officer are also at the scene, overseeing the search operation conducted by a team of divers.
This tragedy comes as Bihar continues to grapple with severe flooding. The Ganga river is flowing above the danger mark at Gandhi Ghat in Patna, with the water level at Danapur Mawan slightly below the danger threshold. The surging river poses a significant threat, particularly in six panchayats of Diara, where residents, including teachers and government employees, are forced to travel by boat due to the lack of alternatives.
