Two drown while performing Mahalaya rituals in Bengal

Two persons on Monday drowned in the Hoogly in West Bnegal while offering prayers to their ancestors on Mahalaya, police said.

"As per information received, two persons drowned today in the Hoogly while performing 'tarpan' (the ritual to offer prayers to the deceased ancestors on this day)," said a police officer.

"Both the incidents took place in Hoogly district. One person drowned at a river bank in Uttarpara, the other got swept away into the river near Seoraphuli in the afternoon," he said.

Thousands of Hindus thronged the river banks on Monday to carry out the rituals of 'tarpan'.

The state administration deployed River Traffic Police personnel and Disaster Management Group officials at all prominent river banks for security reasons.- IANS