Three people drowned while immersing a Durga idol on Wednesday evening in Rupandehi.

The deceased have been identified as Ajay Harijan, 13, Deepu Harijan, 15, and Rohit Harijan, 28, all residents of ward 1 in Mayadevi Rural Municipality, police said.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Suraj Karki, villagers had reached Santeshwar Ghat at Suryapura, located at the confluence of the Danav and Kanchan rivers, for the immersion ritual. The three went missing in the river during the event.

Their bodies were later found around 200 metres downstream on Wednesday evening, police said.