DEHRADUN: Two Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel, part of an eight-member group on a trip from Punjab, tragically drowned while bathing in a lake near Bhimtal, Nainital district, Uttarakhand, on Thursday. Their insistence on taking a dip in the scenic yet treacherous waters led to the fatal incident.
According to police sources, two IAF personnel from Pathankot, Punjab, along with six other friends, had arrived in Nainital on Wednesday. They were staying at a hotel in Sundarkhal, Dhari, with a pre-scheduled plan of enjoying the region's natural beauty.
Bhimtal's Police Circle Officer, Pramod Sah told the TNIE, "On Thursday, the group of eight friends went to Musatal, located between Parital in Belwagaon, Chafi, Bhimtal. Upon reaching Musatal, Sourabh Singh Nayal, Prince Yadav, Sahil, and Vijender decided to bathe and entered the lake without much thought."
He continued, "While bathing, Prince Yadav and Sahil went into deeper waters and began to drown. Sourabh and Vijender made strenuous efforts to save them, but their attempts were in vain. Following the death of their two friends, Sourabh, Vijender, and four other female friends are inconsolable, weeping uncontrollably. The trip now holds only bitter and heart-wrenching memories for the accompanying personnel."
Local eyewitnesses corroborated that the two men lost their lives due to their insistence on bathing. Sub Divisional Magistrate K.N. Goswami and Police Circle Officer Pramod Sah promptly arrived at the scene, gathered full details of the accident, and initiated immediate relief operations. Relatives accompanying the deceased informed the police that they were staying at the Sundarkhal hotel.
Police Circle Officer Sah reiterated that warning boards are installed by the police, and action is taken against those entering rivers and lakes. He stated that strict action would be taken against anyone found bathing in the area.