West Bengal: Two people drowned in Hooghly river while offering 'Mahalaya' prayers

Two persons drowned in the Hooghly River on Monday while offering prayers on the occasion of Mahalaya, a police officer said. While one of them lost balance and drowned near a ghat in Uttarpara, the other person was swept away by river currents at Seoraphuli, he said.

Their bodies have been recovered by divers and handed over to the family members, he added. Devotees were seen thronging river ghats across the city and its surrounding areas since morning to offer homage to their departed ancestors (tarpan) on the occasion. The state administration has deployed River Traffic Police personnel and Disaster Management Group officials in large numbers along the ghats for security reasons.

Mahalaya marks the beginning of Devi-Paksha and the end of the Pitri-Paksha (the shradh or the mourning period). It heralds the beginning of Durga Puja festival.

(With inputs from agencies.)