Assam: Search on for 5 youths swept away in Brahmaputra
Five persons went missing while bathing in the Brahmaputra at Kharguli, Guwahati; four survived. NDRF-SDRF search operations continue downstream.
GUWAHATI- A tragic drowning incident struck Guwahati on Wednesday afternoon after five men went missing while bathing in the Brahmaputra River near Kharguli, prompting a large-scale rescue effort by emergency teams. The missing have been identified as Upesh Kumar, Pratap, Abhijit, Sagar and Ronak Sadak.
According to police, a group of nine men entered the river to bathe, but were soon caught in a powerful undercurrent. “They likely lost balance and were pulled away by the force of the river. Out of nine, four survived — three swam to safety while one was rescued by locals,” an official said.
Also Read- Massive fire guts Sohum Emporia in Guwahati
An alert was received around 12:50 pm, following which NDRF and SDRF launched a rescue operation with four boats scanning the river stretch. Personnel reached the site within 15 minutes of receiving information, officials confirmed. Rescue teams also used ropes and river-patrol units, while divers continued search efforts.
Belongings, clothes and identity cards of the missing individuals were recovered from the riverbank. Preliminary reports suggest that the group had visited the Bhakti Kutir Radha Govind Temple near Ramchai Hills prior to entering the river.
Also Read- Assam observes Swahid Diwas; memorial inaugurated
One survivor, Pranav Nayar from Vrindavan, recounted the ordeal. “There were nine of us. We split into two groups — five went ahead and never came back. Four of us survived because we knew how to swim,” he said.
Search teams scanned flow downstream toward the Umananda Temple channel but found no trace of the missing men till evening. Officials stated that strong currents and fading daylight are hampering visibility, but night surveillance with search lights and riverbank monitoring will continue.
The district administration appealed to citizens to avoid bathing or venturing deep near Kharguli due to seasonal undercurrents. Brahmaputra’s fluctuating water levels during winter often create deceptive depths, rescue personnel said.
The situation remains critical, with searches ongoing. Further updates are awaited.
