A compensation of Rs 1 lakh was given on Sunday to the families of each of the seven girls who died by drowning at a village waterbody at Manandeeh tola of Bukru village under Sheregarah panchayat in Balumath police station on Saturday.

The bereaved families were given a CM relief packet and rice too. The seven girls had died by drowning while performing Karma rituals.

MLA Latehar Baidyanath Ram and Deputy Commissioner Latehar Abu Imran this afternoon visited the bereaved families and doled out the fiscal relief and edibles, read a press note of the Latehar administration.

The bereaved families have been assured Rs. 3 lakh more in the days to come.

Earlier Chatra BJP MP Sunil Kumar Singh and former Manika MLA Harey Krishan Singh visited the mourners and took note of the incident.

The waterbody where this tragedy occurred is not built by fund of the MGNREGA or of the Dova.  The railways had dug up a huge chunk of the GM land for its railway track between Tori and Shivpur railway stations.  The open huge pit measuring around was not afforested by the railways which has to be done, said sources.  Again, the railways did not put up any board here declaring it a public hazard water body.

CO Balumath Aftab Alam said neither any afforestation was done here by the railways for public safety, nor any warning board was put up here.

Sources said the railways have so far not issued any statement over the loss of seven lives in the water body.

The seven deaths by drowning saw condolences coming from the President of India and the PMO.