Tragedy Strikes Pilgrimage as Two Friends Drown in Ganga at Haridwar
In a heartbreaking incident, two friends from Ghaziabad, including a software professional, lost their lives by drowning in the Ganga River on Sunday morning. The tragedy occurred while they were bathing at Dudhiya Band, located within the jurisdiction of the Haridwar city police station.
Details of the Fatal Incident
The victims have been identified as Brijesh Kumar Tripathi (42), a techie, and Sachin Tyagi (35), who operated a garment business in Ghaziabad. Both men had traveled to Haridwar with their families as part of a pilgrimage tour.
According to SHO Kundan Singh Rana, the sequence of events unfolded rapidly. "Tripathi slipped while bathing and was immediately swept away by the strong river current. Tyagi, witnessing his friend in distress, bravely jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue him. Tragically, he too was overpowered by the current and drowned," the officer stated.
Swift Rescue and Recovery Efforts
Rescue operations were launched without delay. Teams comprising police divers and personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed to the site. Their efforts led to the recovery of both bodies within a few hours of the incident.
Ongoing Safety Concerns in Haridwar
Local police highlighted that a majority of drowning incidents in Haridwar are reported from the Saptrishi area. Authorities have installed warning boards along these riverbanks, explicitly stating that the areas are unsafe for bathing due to unpredictable currents and deep waters.
Despite these repeated warnings, pilgrims and visitors frequently ignore the advisories and venture into deeper, more hazardous sections of the river, leading to preventable accidents.
Separate Drowning Incident in Rishikesh
In a related and equally tragic event on the same Sunday, SDRF divers recovered two bodies from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh. One of the deceased was identified as Ayush (26), a resident of Bihar, who had drowned several days earlier while attempting to take a selfie near the water. The second body was that of Anil Bahuguna, a local resident of Rishikesh, who had also drowned previously.
These consecutive incidents underscore the critical need for heightened public awareness and strict adherence to safety protocols near water bodies, especially in pilgrimage hubs like Haridwar and Rishikesh, where the combination of religious sentiment and natural hazards can lead to fatal outcomes.
