Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Dhanbad: Four of the six youths who drowned while bathing in the Damodar river near Telmocho bridge on the Dhanbad-Bokaro highway on Wednesday have been found dead, while a search operation is underway for the remaining two, officials said on Thursday.
One of the deceased has been identified as Vijay Yadav, a resident of Bhooli A-Block, Dhanbad. Local divers are continuing the search for the two missing youth with the help of villagers.
The youth had gone to the river to take a holy bath on the occasion of Kartik Purnima. Two separate groups of 10 youth had reached Telmocho for the ritual.
The first group from Bhimkanali under Baghmara police station area entered the river around 11 am on Wednesday. Five of them were washed away in the strong current. The villagers managed to save three, but two – Sumit Rai (17) and Sunny Chauhan (21) – went missing.
The second group was from Bhooli A-Block. Five of them – Vijay Yadav, Rohit alias Chhotu, Rohan alias Golu, Priyanshu and Aneesh – had gone to the river bank to take a bath.
Priyanshu stopped at the bank while the other four entered the river. When he did not return, Priyanshu searched for him and later informed his family.
Tension prevailed in the area after the bodies could not be located till Thursday morning. Agitated locals and family members blocked the Dhanbad-Bokaro main road demanding action and a more robust rescue effort.
Police and civil administration officials reached the spot and convinced them to remove the jam.
Locals alleged that illegal sand mining in the Damodar river has changed its depth and flow, increasing the risk of drowning incidents. He demanded that the administration take strict action to prevent further tragedies.
Baghmara Block Development Officer Girjanand Kisku confirmed that six youths from Bhimkanali and Bhuli drowned in the strong current of the river and so far four bodies have been recovered.
He said, “The search for the remaining two is still going on. The NDRF team has not yet reached the spot. The operation will be intensified as soon as the team reaches.”
–IANS