Six pilgrims killed, five missing as jeep skids into river

Bihar Shariff, July 15 (UNI) At least six pilgrims were killed and five went missing when a jeep skidded into river Panchane near Kochut village under Harnaut police station of Nalanda district last night.

The victims, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh, were returning from Deoghar in Jharkhand, where they had gone to attend Shravan Mela.

Police sources said the jeep carrying 22 passengers skidded into the surging river after the driver lost control of the vehicle.

While six bodies were fished out of the river in the downstream, 11 pilgrims were rescued. Police said five of them still remained untraced.

Lakhs of devotees visit Deoghar every year during the month long Shravan Mela and pilgrimage from UP is undertaken as part of the ritual.

Search was on to trace out the missing people, the sources said.

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