Dibrugarh: Three Kanwariyas from Dibrugarh drowned during a pilgrimage at Dhola in Tinsukia district on Sunday evening.Police identified the deceased as Bishal Shah (21) and Raj Shah (24) of Guardpara, and Pankaj Gupta (28) of Loharpatty.The three were part of a group that had begun a nearly 90 km pilgrimage from Dibrugarh three days earlier to collect holy water and offer it to Lord Shiva during Shravan.The incident occurred when they entered the Kaliyapani stream, a channel of the Brahmaputra, near Dhola to bathe and collect water. They reportedly ventured into deep water and were swept away by strong currents.The State Disaster Response Force launched a rescue operation and recovered the three bodies. They were sent to Tinsukia Medical College and Hospital for autopsies before being handed over to their families.Residents said similar drownings had occurred in the Kaliyapani channel, which is known for strong undercurrents, particularly in stretches that appear shallow from the banks.During the annual pilgrimage in Shravan, devotees walk to riverbanks and other water sources to collect holy water for offering at Shiva temples near their hometowns.
