Prayagraj Police Launch Major Safety Drive After Tragic Drowning Incident
In response to the heartbreaking drowning of two young boys, aged 10 and 11, at Soham Ashram ghat, senior police officials in Prayagraj have mandated intensified patrolling across all river ghats to prevent similar tragedies. The incident has prompted immediate and comprehensive safety measures as the summer season attracts large crowds to the rivers.
Enhanced Deployment and Vigilance Measures
Police authorities have decided to deploy additional jal police personnel alongside local station officers at vulnerable ghats. This decision comes amid an increased rush of youngsters who frequently visit the rivers for swimming during the hot months. DCP (City) Maneesh Shandilya emphasized that apart from strengthening deployment, police have initiated an awareness drive in nearby villages and pockets, urging residents to remain vigilant when minors or others go swimming.
Jal police personnel have been specifically tasked with maintaining strict vigilance at major ghats, including the prominent Sangam area, to prevent people from entering deep-water zones. The department will also install banners and posters marking danger zones, deep-water areas, barricaded stretches, and locations with high river flow to clearly warn visitors.
Public Address Systems and Historical Context
To further enhance safety, police plan to maximize the use of public address systems on ghats to alert people and appeal against venturing into deep waters. This move is critical given that several drowning incidents have been reported in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers over the past three years. Officials from the jal police wing note that most cases involve youngsters who lack proper swimming skills and enter deep waters out of excitement.
An official stated, "We constantly advise citizens to take dips or swim with caution, as the river is deep and currents can be dangerous." People are repeatedly warned against swimming at identified dangerous ghats, with police having conducted a survey last year that declared six ghats of the Ganga and Yamuna unsafe. A nearly 10-km stretch in the Ganga Kachar area has also been flagged as hazardous for swimming.
Comprehensive Safety Advisory and Parental Appeals
Police have issued an eight-point advisory, urging citizens to swim only at designated ghats. They further advised devotees coming for holy dips to avoid attempting swimming and warned against group swimming at unsafe ghats. Citizens are cautioned against performing risky acts in water and using mobile phones for selfies at ghats, which can lead to distractions and accidents.
In a recent appeal, police urged parents to keep a strict watch on their children and never allow those who cannot swim to enter rivers. Officials highlighted that ghats such as Sangam, Ram Ghat, Kali Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Arial, and Chatnag are considered safer due to the deployment of jal police personnel and local police, offering a more secure environment for visitors.
This proactive approach by Prayagraj police aims to combine enforcement, education, and community engagement to significantly reduce drowning risks and ensure public safety along the riverbanks during the busy summer period.
