Nurse drowns in Narmada during holy dip at Omkareshwar

Indore: A 34-year-old nurse drowned in the Narmada river after she was swept away by strong current while taking a holy dip at Omkareshwar on Saturday.The nurse, Poonam Rajput, was a resident of Nandurbar district in Maharashtra. Mandhata police said Poonam arrived in Omkareshwar along with four companions, including her close friend Bhagwat Diwakar, whom she referred to as her brother. Bhagwat told police that they travelled from Maharashtra to visit Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain and later went to Omkareshwar via Indore. They planned to return to Maharashtra through Dhamnod after offering prayers at the shrine.The group reached Omkareshwar around 10 am and decided to take a holy dip in the Narmada before visiting the temple. Around 12:30 pm, while bathing at Abhay ghat, the river current suddenly intensified. Poonam and Bhagwat were swept away by the force of the water. Boatmen nearby rushed to their rescue and managed to save Bhagwat, but Poonam was submerged. Her body was recovered a few hours later from the same spot.Police confirmed that Poonam died due to drowning and registered a case of accidental death. Her family has been informedPoonam worked at a private hospital in Nandurbar. Her husband Hempratap Rajput, who was a photographer, died four years ago during the Covid-19 pandemic. She has left behind two sons, aged 15 and 6.