Patna, Feb 27 (IANS) Tragedy struck on the occasion of Maha Shivratri as five youths drowned in the Ganges river at Collectorate Ghat under Gandhi Maidan police station here on Wednesday evening.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has so far recovered three bodies, while the search for the remaining two is ongoing.
Six youths from Krishna Niwas Lodge -- Vishal Kumar, Sachin Kumar, Abhishek Kumar, Rajiv Kumar, Golu Kumar and Ashish Kumar -- were playing volleyball on the bank of the river.
Three others, including Rehan and Govinda, who was bathing nearby, joined their game.
During the game, Vishal went for a bath in the Ganga river and started drowning.
The six others rushed to save him, but all were swept away by the current. Two others did not participate in the rescue.
A boatman witnessing the incident threw a bamboo pole, managing to save Ashish and Sachin. The SDRF team was deployed for rescue operations.
After three hours of search, the SDRF team recovered two bodies, followed by Govinda's body late on Wednesday evening.
The search for two missing youths is still ongoing. The families of the victims are in deep distress following the incident.
Rehan's father, speaking in shock, said: "My son had come with his three friends without informing anyone. Around 9 o'clock, I received a call that my son had drowned in the Ganga. I rushed to the spot and learned that a total of five youths had drowned, out of which three bodies had been recovered. The remaining two are still missing."
Patna Deputy Superintendent of Police (Town), Prakash, confirmed the ongoing rescue efforts: "Youths had come to bathe at Collectorate Ghat, out of which five drowned. The SDRF team is continuously searching for the missing ones. The police are also present at the site to assist in the operation. Three bodies have been recovered so far."
The incident has highlighted the urgent need for stricter safety measures at river ghats, especially during festival gatherings.
Authorities have urged people to be cautious while bathing in the river, especially during festival gatherings.
