Two missing as bike falls into Narmada canal

Vadodara: In a repeat of an incident that took place at Sisva village near the city last week, three persons on Monday morning fell in the Narmada canal near Bhimpura village on the outskirts of the city as the bike rider lost control over the vehicle.

A teenager Laxman Parmar who was sitting pillion was saved as he came out of the water with the help of his bag and then held a plant on the bank of the canal. Firemen unsuccessfully searched for the other two – Vaibhav Valand (25) and Gopal Parmar (22) – till late Monday evening. Rescuers searched for four kilometres downstream of the canal on Monday using boats.

According to 16-year-old Laxman, the trio was going to Gorwa BIDC from their native Kosindra village in Anand district. Vaibhav and Gopal work at Gorwa BIDC and daily commute on the bike. Laxman tagged along with them as the duo wanted to show him around the place where they work. Initially, Laxman had denied but when he was promised that they will return early, he agreed. Laxman told firemen that while taking sharp turn along the canal road near Bhimpura village Vaibhav lost control over the two-wheeler and the bike went straight into the canal.

Fire officials said that while holding the plant, Laxman shouted plant hearing which passers-by came to his help. Later the firemen fished out the bike but Vaibhav and Gopal were untraceable. “There are strong currents in the water due to which the two men could not be found on Monday. On Tuesday, the National Disaster Response Force will also join the search,” a fire official said.

On February 15, a sedan car had fallen in a pond at Sisva village when the driver had lost control over the vehicle at a curve on the road. One passenger sitting on the backseat was drowned and two others were rescued.