7 pilgrims feared drowned after van plunges into dam in Bihar

• 7 people feared drowned while 19 persons, injured after their vehicle plunged into the DRP in Bihar's Rohtas district
• Van was climbing the Gaighat hill, the brakes failed, which the vehicle plunged into dam waters in a 70-feet deep ditch
• DM said a SDRF team from adjoining Bhojpur district, called in to carry out rescue operations

In a tragic incident, seven people were feared drowned while 19 persons, including eight women, were injured after their vehicle plunged into the Durgawati Reservoir Project (DRP) in Bihar's Rohtas district on Friday morning.

A van carrying 26 pilgrims from various villages in Karakat area was heading to the Gupteshwar Mahadev cave temple in the Kaimur hills on Mahashivratri scheduled for Saturday, police said. At about 5 am, while the van was climbing the Gaighat hill, the brakes failed, after which the vehicle plunged into the dam waters in a 70-feet deep ditch.

Three bodies were recovered and a search was underway for the remaining four, but local divers were unable to reach the vehicle. 19 injured pilgrims were admitted to Sadar Hospital in Sasaram. The dam's executive engineer Afzal Alam said there was about 40 feet of water in the dam at the site of the accident.

District Magistrate (DM) Dharmendra Kumar said a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team from adjoining Bhojpur district has been called in to carry out rescue operations. The dead bodies are yet to be identified and have been sent to Sasaraam for post-mortem.

The injured pilgrims belonged to Rediya, Muhwari, Telari, lakhnaul, Gera, Turki, Sakalabazar and other villages, police said.