BAHADURGARH: A festive occasion turned tragic in Bahadurgarh on Friday evening when three youths drowned in the NCR canal during the immersion of a Ganesh idol.Two bodies have been recovered and handed over to their respective families after post-mortem examinations, while the search for the third youth is still underway.According to police, a group of around 16-17 people had reached the NCR canal for Ganesh idol immersion while playing drums. At around 6.20 pm, 24-year-old Ajay, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, entered the canal to immerse the idol. During the immersion, he reportedly moved into deeper water and began drowning.Seeing Ajay struggling in the canal, his companions Nitish (21), a resident of Bihar, and Shivkant (21), a resident of Uttar Pradesh, jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue him. However, all three youths were caught in the deep waters and drowned.The incident triggered panic among the devotees and people present at the spot. Local residents and employees of the company where the youths worked also joined the rescue operation and attempted to locate the three youths.According to police, all three youths were employed at a food-product company located in Rohad, where chocolate is manufactured.The deceased have been identified as Ajay, 24, a native of Madhya Pradesh, and Nitish, 21, a resident of Bihar. Their companion Shivkant, 21, from Uttar Pradesh, remains missing.As soon as information about the incident reached the police, a search operation was launched in the canal. People from the surrounding area also joined the rescue efforts.Ajay’s body was recovered around two hours after the incident, while Nitish’s body was recovered approximately three-and-a-half hours later.The police subsequently sent both bodies for post-mortem examination at the Civil Hospital in Bahadurgarh.The search for Shivkant continued with the help of divers and rescue personnel. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was also informed and deployed to assist in the operation.Police said the search was being hampered by the considerable depth of the canal and the flow of water. Rescue teams continued to search different stretches of the canal to locate the missing youth.Asoda police station SHO PSI Akash Kumar said that two bodies had been recovered. Both bodies were sent for post-mortem examinations, following which they were handed over to their respective family members.He said that one body is still yet to be recovered and the search operation is continuing. According to the SHO, once the third body is recovered, the necessary post-mortem formalities will also be completed and the body will be handed over to the family.PSI Akash Kumar further said that no case has been registered against anyone in connection with the incident so far.A video of the incident has also surfaced. In the footage, the three youths can be seen struggling in the water and attempting to make their way back to safety. They can be seen moving their hands and legs in an effort to stay afloat, before gradually disappearing into the deeper section of the canal.The incident caused panic among the devotees who had gathered for the Ganesh idol immersion. Following the incident, police, divers and rescue personnel were called to the spot and a search operation was launched.The search for the third youth remains underway, while police continue to coordinate with the rescue teams.
