Three including two minor boys drown in Sharda river in Pilibhit

Three drowned in the Sharda river during Mauni Amavasya bathing in Pilibhit, including two minors and a man who attempted to rescue them.

Three persons, including two minor boys, drowned in the Sharda river in the Puranpur area of Pilibhit district on Sunday afternoon during Mauni Amavasya ritual bathing.

Three including two minor boys drown in Sharda river in Pilibhit

The victims have been identified as Keshav Prasad (30), Sumit (14) and Saurabh (15). The minor boys were the residents of village Chandia Hazara. Keshav Prasad drowned while rescuing the boys.

According to locals, the two teenagers had gone to Dhanara Ghat to bathe in the river as part of the religious ritual. While bathing, they reportedly stepped into a deep pit created during recent river channelisation work, leading to their drowning.

Witnesses said that upon seeing the teenagers struggling in the deep water, Keshav Prasad, who was present on the riverbank, immediately jumped into the river in an attempt to save them. Unfortunately, he was unable to rescue the boys and also drowned due to the strong current and depth of the river.

The incident triggered panic and chaos at the ghat, with people raising alarms and rushing to the spot. Local divers were called in, and after strenuous efforts, the bodies of all three victims were recovered from the river.