Editor
In Short: Two young individuals from Meghalaya tragically drowned while attempting to cool off in the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati. The incident occurred in the Chandrapur area, with one body recovered and the search for the second individual called off at dusk. The group of friends had arrived in Guwahati the day before and decided to take a swim in the river to escape the rising temperatures. Authorities stress the importance of water safety and caution during extreme weather conditions.
GUWAHATI: In a devastating incident on Tuesday afternoon, two young individuals from Meghalaya lost their lives while attempting to cool off in the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati. The group of six to eight friends had decided to take a swim to beat the scorching heat and high humidity levels in the city.
The Chandrapur area of Guwahati became the site of the unfortunate incident as two of the youths went missing after entering the river around noon. Local authorities were alerted by residents, prompting a prompt response from the police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). A search operation was initiated with the assistance of two SDRF boats, which continued from 2 pm until approximately 6.15 pm.
Regrettably, only one body was recovered by the SDRF personnel, identified as H. Laloo. The search had to be called off at dusk, leaving Rahul Chettri still unaccounted for. The police have assured that efforts to locate him will resume at the earliest opportunity.
Following necessary procedures, the retrieved body will undergo post-mortem examination and a magisterial inquest before being handed over to the family for final rites.
According to the police, the group of boys had arrived in Guwahati on Monday. Today, they ventured to the Chandrapur area, believing that their swimming skills would keep them safe. However, the unpredictable currents of the Brahmaputra proved to be a fatal challenge.
Guwahati has experienced a significant rise in temperatures over the past few days, with the mercury surpassing the 38 degrees Celsius mark on Tuesday. The combination of intense heat and humidity may have driven the youths to seek relief in the river, unaware of the potential dangers they would face.
This tragic incident serves as a solemn reminder of the importance of water safety and the need for caution, especially during periods of extreme weather conditions. Authorities are urging citizens to remain vigilant and exercise caution when engaging in water activities to prevent such tragic accidents in the future.