Symbolic picture
Gandhinagar: At least eight people drowned while bathing in Meshvo river in Gandhinagar district of Gujarat on Friday evening. According to information, all those who died in this accident were residents of Vasna Sogathi village of Dehgam taluka. The death toll may increase. The incident took place near the village.
Eight bodies recovered
“We have recovered eight bodies from the river. The deceased were locals, but they might have misjudged the depth of the river at the spot,” Sub Divisional Magistrate B B Modia said, adding that the water level had risen recently due to a check dam under construction a short distance away.
People had come to immerse the Ganesh idol
Modiya, who was monitoring the search and rescue operation, said a group of villagers had come to the river to immerse Ganesha idols. They came to know about the drowning incident and informed the authorities.
The SDM said, “After receiving a message, police and fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot. We have recovered eight bodies from the river. One person, who was believed to be missing, was found in the village. Hence, the rescue operation which continued till evening has been called off now.” He added, “The deceased were locals who had come to bathe in the river.”
Warnings ignored
Local MLA Balraj Singh Chauhan said that the authorities had advised caution and created a safe zone for the celebrations. But some people ignored the warnings, leading to the accident. Nearby villagers and people present there tried to rescue the victims, but were unsuccessful due to the strong current. Two days ago, a similar accident had occurred in Patan district, where four people drowned during Ganesh immersion.
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