Two boys, who studied in Class 9 of a private school, are feared drowned in Sutlej at Khaneri in Rampur subdivision of Shimla district, officials said on Friday.
The duo was seen playing near the bank of the river by locals on Thursday.
The missing boys have been identified as 14-year-old Manav Sharma, a resident of Hari Kufri village of Pangna subtehsil in Mandi district and Virender, also 14, of Taklech in Rampur subdivision.
The local police and national disaster response force had launched a search and rescue operation soon after receiving the information.
Rampur police said that their shoes and clothes were found on the banks of the river.
Prima facie, they entered the river to take a dip and were drowned, officials said.
A rescue operation is underway.