A festive occasion turned into a profound tragedy in Bahadurgarh, Haryana, where three young factory workers drowned in the NCR Canal near Rohad village during Ganesh Visarjan. The victims, who were employed at a local food processing unit, lost their lives in a desperate chain reaction of rescue attempts. While emergency response teams have successfully recovered two bodies from the water, search operations remain active for the third missing individual.
How the Tragic Incident Unfolded
The incident occurred when a group of workers from the Tech Food Product Company, located in Rohad, went to the nearby NCR Canal to immerse an idol of Lord Ganesha. During the immersion process, 24-year-old Ajay ventured into the canal but was suddenly pulled into the deep water by the strong currents. Realizing his distress, his coworkers Shivkant and Nitesh immediately jumped into the fast-flowing canal in a brave attempt to rescue him. Unfortunately, the powerful flow of the canal overwhelmed all three of them, and they were quickly swept away.
Rescue Operations and Administrative Action
Upon hearing the cries for help, local villagers rushed to the spot and alerted the authorities. The station house officer of Asaudha police station reached the scene with a police team to initiate search and rescue operations. Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Abhinav Sivach also arrived at the site to personally monitor the search efforts and review safety measures. Divers and rescue teams managed to recover the bodies of Ajay and Nitesh after hours of intense search operations. Meanwhile, the search for Shivkant is still ongoing with the assistance of the NDRF and local residents.
Rising Incidents of Drownings in Canals
This fatal accident highlights a worrisome trend of drowning incidents in the region during the festive season. Just a week prior to this event, on September 18, another major scare occurred in the same NCR canal when four students slipped into the deep waters during idol immersion; fortunately, alert bystanders and rescuers managed to save three of them. These continuous tragedies have prompted local authorities to emphasize the urgent need for stricter safety protocols, barricades, and trained lifesavers at canal access points during mass religious gatherings.
