Five, including three minors, drown in Palamu during Karam festival ritual in Jharkhand

At least five people, including three minors, drowned in the Koel river in Jharkhand's Palamu district on Wednesday while immersing a branch of the Karam tree worshipped during the tribal festival of Karam, police said.

The incident took place at Bokaya village under the jurisdiction of Chainpur police station.

Karam, one of Jharkhand's major tribal festivals after Sarhul, was celebrated across the state on Tuesday. The festival traditionally concludes with the immersion of a branch of the Karam tree that was worshipped during the celebrations.

Palamu Superintendent of Police Kapil Choudhary said all five victims had gone to the river to immerse the Karam branch when they drowned.

The bodies were later recovered from the river and sent for post-mortem examination, the SP said.  (with inputs from PTI)