Nothing to do with floods; DM clears air over viral image of infant washed ashore

Clarifying the air over the viral image of a drowned infant washed ashore, Muzaffarpur District Magistrate (DM) Alok Ranjan said that the picture has got nothing to do with floods as are being claimed on social media.

"The incident is of Sheetalpatti village. The new published was that children got washed away when they were taking a bath. And later, the body of one of the child was found ashore," Alok Ranjan said while addressing a press conference here while giving a detailed account behind the picture.

"The reality as told by villagers and her seven-year-old daughter is - a woman named Reena Devi (35) talked to her husband who works in Punjab. She got into a quarrel with her husband during the course of the conversation," Ranjan added.

According to him, following the conversation, the woman pushed her four children and she herself jumped into the river. The incident took place on July 16.

"Three children -- Karan Kumar (Three months), Raj Kumar (5 years), Jyoti Kumari (12 years) died. One child named Radha (7 years) and her mother, Reena Devi were rescued. All three bodies were recovered the same day," Ranjan said.

Ranjan said that since the incident was related to a criminal offense, so no compensation was announced.

"Her husband Shatrughan Ram has returned to the village from Punjab. His version is expected. Further action will be taken after this," he said.

Terming the incident as man-made, the officer said, "This is the reality. It has nothing to do with floods. It was purely man-made which can be dubbed as a criminal offense for the attempt to murder.