Manimajra, July 12: A weekend fishing trip turned fatal for a group of friends from Manimajra after two men were dragged into the strong currents of the Ghaggar river beneath the Bhankharpur bridge. A massive multi-agency rescue operation recovered the body of one victim on Sunday, while emergency crews continue to comb the riverbanks for his missing companion.
The incident unfolded when three neighborhood friends from Indira Colony ventured out to the river on Friday afternoon. Misfortune struck when Darshan slipped into a deep, fast-flowing section of the river, prompting Surinder to dive in after him. Both men were instantly swept downstream by the force of the water. Their companion, Chanda, managed to escape the same fate by clinging tightly to riverside vegetation until he could scramble back onto dry land.
The survivor immediately rushed back to the colony to alert the victims’ families, who rushed to the riverbank alongside local community leaders. Search teams consisting of local police and specialized disaster response personnel have been working along the river corridor since Friday evening. The family of Surinder, a father of three sons, remains camped near the site holding onto hope as divers join the recovery efforts.
The local police post has coordinated with regional diving teams to expand the search radius downriver where the currents are particularly deceptive.
“Chanda came home and informed us about the accident, after which we reached the spot with the family members,” the emotional wife of Surinder declared. “All three of them had left home at around 2:30 in the afternoon.”
Authorities reiterated the dangers of entering the river during periods of rapid flow and stated that the joint operation will continue until both victims are accounted for.
“A joint search operation has been underway by the police and NDRF teams for the last two days,” Mubarikpur Police Post In-charge Kulwant Singh asserted. “Darshan’s body was pulled out of the water on Sunday morning, while divers are being sought to search for Surinder.”
