Guwahati: Four friends, who decided to take a bath at a nearby pond, were drowned at Bhagnamari, under Panbari police station, in Chirang district on Friday, officials said.The incident occurred around 4:15pm, when the four minor girls went to take a bath, but instead got drowned. Following the incident, Panbari police alerted Bijni fire and emergency services station. A rescue team reached the spot at around 4.20pm with an inflatable rescue boat and began a search operation.The deceased were identified as Sanjuma Khatun, 9, and Suhana Khatun, 6, of Tekaimari village, and Masuma Khatun, 11, and Rakiba Khatun, 8, of Damungaon village.The girls were pulled out of the pond by local residents before the rescue team arrived, a rescue official said.While locals initially informed the team that another person might still be missing, the Bijni team alerted the Kajalgaon fire and emergency services station, whose deep divers joined the search, but no additional person was recovered.The operation continued until around 7.15pm before it was called off, after residents confirmed that no one else was missing.
