Garhwal Post Bureau
RISHIKESH, 20 Jun: The search operation for people who had gone missing after having got drowned at different locations in the Ganga yielded success on Saturday when the SDRF team recovered three dead-bodies from the channel of Pashulok Barrage. The deceased were identified as Shailendra Mahawar, 30, a resident of Gwalior, Shaurya Nagar, 20, from Gautam Buddha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, and Manish Arya from Jai Vihar in Delhi. Shailendra had drowned in the Ganga near Phoolchatti, Shaurya met with the accident at Sai Ghat in Tapovan, while Manish was among the couple who had drowned at Chandreshwar Ghat and had been missing for several days.
According to the SDRF officials, the team had been carrying out searches at various possible locations in the river using expert deep divers and modern equipment. During the operation, three bodies were spotted in the barrage channel. SDRF personnel immediately launched a rescue effort and, with the help of the chain machine of the barrage, carefully retrieved the bodies. Families were called for identification, after which local police completed the necessary legal formalities and sent the bodies for post-mortem.
With the onset of the monsoon, SDRF has warned of heightened risks and has also stated that the water level and flow of the river can rise suddenly during the monsoon which can multiply the chances of accidents. The force has also appealed to the pilgrims and tourists arriving in large numbers during the Char Dham Yatra and tourist season to exercise utmost caution. People have been urged to bathe only at designated and safe ghats, avoid entering the river at prohibited or unsafe spots, and ensure that children are not left unattended near the riverbanks. SDRF has stressed that strict adherence to instructions issued by the administration and security agencies is essential, as even a moment’s negligence in the fast current of the Ganga can prove fatal.
