Rediff 

Aug 6: A 17-year-old boy has lost his life while trying to receive a food packet dropped from a helicopter in a flood-hit district in Bihar.

Sarfraz of Bharhulia village in Darbhanga district fell off the rooftop of his house and got swept away by the current of the flood water on Sunday evening.

"Sarfaraz lost his life merely for a food packet as he was hungry for days," his father Ali Ahmad said.

Darbhanga district administration officials confirmed the incident. They added that those stranded in floods have been scampering for the food packets that are airdropped by helicopters of the Indian Air Force.

The police said Sarfaraz, who along with the other members of his family, had taken shelter on the rooftop. The roof did not have a parapet and he slipped while attempting to catch a packet.

In a similar incident, a 15-year-old girl, Gudia, of the same village was rescued by the villagers when she fell down from the roof to catch a food packet.

There are several similar instances coming from the flood hit areas. Another victim, Anil Sahni, got his leg fractured in a bid to collect a food packet near the Patjarwa embankment in East Champaran. He has been admitted to the Sadar Hospital of Motihari.

The IAF helicopters airdropped 4640 relief packets, which included food and other essential items.