Six of same family drown in river in India's Bihar state

NEW DELHI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- At least six people of the same family, including four children, drowned in the Ganges river in the eastern Indian state of Bihar Thursday, police said.

The incident took place when the victims went to the holy river at Maranchi village in the state's Patna district to take bath.

"While two children accidentally slipped into deep waters, others drowned while trying to save them," a police official said.

All the six bodies have been fished out of the river by divers and handed over to the family for cremation, the official said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed his condolences over the deaths and announced a compensation of 400,000 rupees (6,000 U.S. dollars) for each of those dead.