LUCKNOW: Over 17 youths reportedly drowned in two separate incidents during Durga idol immersion on Vijaya Dashmi in Agra on Thursday.
Rescue teams recovered three bodies from the river, while divers saved one youth. Thirteen others remain missing, and SDRF and NDRF teams are continuing search operations.
The first incident occurred at Kheragarh, a town in Agra district, where 14 youths
of Kusiyapur village went into the river Utangan. Rescue teams had recovered three bodies till the filing of this report, while search operations were on for 10 missing individuals. One person was rescued safely.
Two brothers, 20-year-old Haresh and 17-year-old Gagan, were among those who lost their lives.
The incident took place around 2:30 pm in the Utangan river, where a large crowd had gathered for the immersion. While women remained on the riverbank, 14 youths entered the water carrying the idol. They were caught in the river’s strong currents. While bystanders tried to help, most of those in the water were swept away by the fast-flowing stream.
Following the incident, police immediately launched a rescue operation. Station House Officer Madan Singh was seen jumping into the river in uniform to save lives.
After intense efforts, one youth, Bhola, was rescued. He was in critical condition.
Later, Divers recovered three more bodies.
According to DCP West Atul Sharma, the designated immersion site was under the Utangan river bridge, where the youths initially arrived with the Durga idol. Police instructed them not to enter the middle of the river and directed them to proceed towards Kaila Devi. However, they chose to immerse the idol near the Dungarwala village riverbank, where the incident occurred.
Meanwhile, SDRF and NDRF rescue teams remain deployed, continuing the search for the 11 missing youths. Authorities have urged residents to cooperate with rescue efforts and avoid overcrowding the riverbanks.
The second incident occurred in Karbhna village in the Tajganj area of Agra district. Two youths went missing, while five others managed to swim to safety.