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Agra immersion tragedy: Toll climbs to five; search underway for others
On Friday, paramilitary forces were called in to assist the rescue operation. A second unit of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was deployed, while divers from the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Etawah district joined the search.
Three more bodies were recovered on Friday, taking the death toll to five, while the search was going on for seven others who were swept away in the Utangan river during Durga idol immersion in Khairagarh area on Thursday, police said.
All the victims were residents of Kusiarpur village in Mauja Dungarwala, Khairagarh, and had brought a Durga idol for immersion after the culmination of Navratri.
On Friday, paramilitary forces were called in to assist the rescue operation. A second unit of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was deployed, while divers from the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Etawah district joined the search.
Cultural and tourism minister Jaiveer Singh, who is the minister in-charge for Agra, visited the site and reviewed the situation with district magistrate Aravind Mallappa Bangari.
Meanwhile, local youths and those from nearby villages on Friday staged a protest and raised slogans against local MP Raj Kumar Chahar and authorities over the “slow pace” of rescue work.
Earlier on Thursday, three youths had been rescued but two of them died during treatment. Three more were found dead on Friday, taking the toll to five. The deceased were identified as Deepak, Manoj, Bhagwati, 22, Gagan, 24, and Om Pal, 25. Another youth who survived has been identified as Vishnu, 20.
“The incident occurred when the youths chose not to immerse idols at the designated spot beneath Utangan bridge but went around 300 metres ahead and entered the river. Rescue operations are continuing with expert teams and police on site,” said the deputy commissioner of police, Agra (west), rural.
According to a list released by the office of Khairagarh SDM, a total of 11 youths were part of the visarjan procession. However, authorities said the total number of youths, all aged between 16 and 25 years, was 13.
