DEHRADUN: Four minor boys from Chandigarh drowned in the Upper Ganga Canal in Haridwar’s Jwalapur area on Friday while returning home after collecting holy water during the Kanwar Yatra, police said.
The teenagers had entered the canal for a bath near the Jwalapur-Mayapur area when one of them became trapped in a deep depression. The others drowned while attempting to rescue him, according to eyewitnesses.
The victims were identified as Shivanshu, Nitish and Bharat, all aged 16, and Rohit, 17. They had travelled to Haridwar as part of a group of Kanwariyas and were carrying Gangajal back to Chandigarh.
SDRF sources said the boys apparently made a sudden plan to bathe in the canal during their return journey.
At the time of the accident, the canal had reportedly been closed because of silt accumulation. Although the water appeared shallow near the bank, deep pits beneath the surface made the stretch dangerous.
Eyewitnesses said Bharat was the first to move farther into the canal. He suddenly stepped into a deep depression and began drowning. Nitish and Shivanshu rushed to help him but were also caught in the depth and strong current. Rohit then entered the water in an attempt to save his friends but drowned as well.
Three other Kanwariyas — Rahul, Amit and Sahil — also tried to help. Amit reportedly became trapped in the water but was pulled to safety by Sahil. The four teenagers, however, could not be saved.
The incident triggered panic among pilgrims and local residents. On receiving information, teams from the water police and the State Disaster Response Force rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.
Water police personnel retrieved three of the boys, while the fourth was brought out by the SDRF. All four were taken to the Haridwar district hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
“Four teenage boys died due to drowning. Their families have been informed,” Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Singh said.
Several members of the Kanwar group, along with local residents, later gathered at the hospital after news of the tragedy spread.
Lakhs of devotees are currently arriving in Haridwar for the annual Kanwar Yatra. The administration has repeatedly advised pilgrims not to bathe in deep or unguarded stretches of the Ganga and its canals, cross safety railings, or ignore official warnings.
Experts said silt deposits and the closure of canals can make it difficult to assess the actual depth of the water, substantially increasing the risk of drowning.
Renowned astrologer and eminent scholar Acharya Sushant Raj of Uttarakhand told TNIE that the Kanwar Yatra was among northern India’s largest religious pilgrimages, with Haridwar and Rishikesh serving as its principal centres.
“According to mythology, Ravana, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, brought 'Gangajal' from Gangotri/Haridwar and offered it to a Shivling at Baijnath in Uttar Pradesh. This is regarded as the first Kanwar Yatra,” he said.
