Two men died and several others went missing during an immersion ritual in Uttar Pradesh's Agra. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the incident and assured assistance to the victims' families.
The incident took place in the Khairagarh area on Thursday evening when a group of people were performing the idol immersion ritual in the Utangan river. As many as nine people slipped into deep waters during the immersion, leading to the death of two people.
Local residents managed to rescue one person, while the bodies of Gagan (26) and Ompal (32) were later recovered.
District Magistrate Arvind Mallappa Bangari said that search and rescue efforts are underway to rescue the six people still missing. Teams of local divers, police personnel, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed along the river to locate the missing individuals.
The district administration revealed that while an official site had been designated for idol immersion, the group had chosen a different, unsafe stretch of the river, which led to the mishap. Authorities have urged residents to strictly follow safety guidelines during such rituals.
"While immersing the deities, nine people drowned in the Utangan River...Currently, six people are still missing in the Utangan River. We are trying our best to save the children," Arvind Mallappa Bangari, District Magistrate, said.
CM Yogi Expresses Grief
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families. In a statement issued from Lucknow, the CM also prayed for strength for the affected families in coping with the tragedy.
The administration has assured that every possible effort is being made to find the missing men and assist their families during this difficult time.