13-Yr-Old Girl Drowns While Retrieving Miniature Boats During Kartika Purnima Celebrations in Bhadrak

Bhadrak: A 13-year-old girl lost her life after drowning in a pond while attempting to retrieve miniature boats during Kartika Purnima festivities in Basudevpur, Bhadrak district, Odisha. The unfortunate event transpired in Mahalik Sahi, Padhuan village, under the jurisdiction of Basudevpur police limits.

As part of the Kartika Purnima ritual, villagers traditionally float miniature paper boats in the village pond. The young girl, in her eagerness to collect some of these boats, ventured into the pond. Unfortunately, she succumbed to drowning.

Alerted by the incident, villagers swiftly rescued her and rushed her to the nearby Community Health Centre (CHC). Despite the medical team’s valiant efforts, the girl was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The incident occurred during the celebration of ‘Boita Bandana’ in Odisha, a custom that honours ancient maritime traditions by setting miniature boats afloat in various water bodies.