Three drown, three others missing on occasion of Ganga Dussehra

Bareilly: Three people, including a seven-year-old boy, were drowned while taking a holy dip in the Ganga and Ramganga rivers on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra in Badaun on Wednesday. In neighbouring Sambhal, however, two children aged five and 14 years are feared drowned in the Ganga. Rescue operation is currently on.

In the first incident, Abhishek Singh (9), son of Johari Singh and resident of Naugauna Nasirnagar village in Badaun, was taking a dip in the Ganga at Bhundi Ghat under Ushait police station when he was swept away by the water current and drowned.

After locals raised an alarm, divers deployed by the district administration managed to take him out of the river and the boy was admitted to the community health centre (CHC) in Ushait, He was later referred to the district hospital, but died during treatment.

Similarly, Rajendra, who was in his 30s, was drowned while taking a dip in the Ganga at Kacchla Ghat in Badaun on Wednesday. Rajendra, along with his family members had come to Badaun from Etah’s Avagadh village. Station house officer of Ujhani police station Vinod Kumar said, “Rajendra’s family took his body back to the village.”

The third incident took place in Chitri village under Hazratpur police station of Badaun, where Sonu, alias, Vijay Kumar (25), was drowned in Ramganga while taking a dip. Local divers swung into action immediately and took him out. “Sonu was admitted to the district hospital, but he died while being treated,” said Rakesh Chauhan, station house officer, Hazratpur police station.

In Sambhal district, five-year-old Anshu and Sunil Kumar (14) were feared drowned in the Ganga in separate incidents. Rescue operations were going on till the filing of this report.

In Hardoi, a 14-year-old boy was drowned and two other teenagers went missing after they were swept away by river current while taking a holy dip on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra at Shiasar ghat under Arwal police station area on Wednesday, police said.

The body of Divyansh (14) was fished out, while search is on for Shivam (15) and Mithun (15), said additional superintendent of police Gyanjay Singh.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the loss of lives. According to a statement issued in Lucknow, CM Yogi has directed officials to intensify rescue operations and trace the boys.