Five kids drown, one injured in Madhubani

Patna: Five children drowned and one was injured near Kerwar village under Patauna police station area in Madhubani district on Wednesday. Police said the children drowned in a rainwater-filled pit. The victims were aged between 9 and 12 years.According to locals, six children had gone to bathe in a deep pit dug for soil excavation with an earthmover machine. Unaware of its depth, they started drowning one after another. Villagers rushed to the spot after hearing cries for help and pulled all six children out of the water.The children were taken to Benipatti Sub-Divisional Hospital in ambulances and private vehicles, where doctors declared five of them dead. One child is undergoing treatment.The deceased were identified as Soni Kumari (10), daughter of Lalit Pandit; Abhishek Kumar (10), son of Chhote Pandit; Prashant Kumar (12), son of Dinesh Pandit; Rinku Kumari (10), daughter of Dinesh Pandit; and Sneha Kumari (9), daughter of Nunu Pandit. Prashant and Rinku were siblings.Ram Vinod Pandit, grandfather of one of the deceased, alleged that the pit, excavated under a private contract awarded by Leela Jha of Kerwar village three years ago, had been accumulating water ever since. Benipatti SDO Sharang Pani Pandey said the victims’ families received Rs4 lakh each as ex gratia and legal action would be taken against those responsible for the excavation.