On Saturday a tragic incident occurred in the Jwalapur area of Haridwar when four minor Kanwar pilgrims drowned while bathing in the Ganga Canal near Jatwara Bridge. All four were reported to be between 16 and 17 years old.
According to information, a group of around 17 Kanwar pilgrims had come to Haridwar from Chandigarh to collect holy Ganga water. Before returning, the devotees were taking a bath in the Ganga Canal near Jatwara Bridge in Jwalapur. During this, the four teenagers got trapped in a deep pit and drowned in the water.
Officials said that due to continuous heavy rain in the hills, the amount of silt in the canal had increased.
Because of this, the main flow of the canal had been stopped. However, water remained accumulated in several deep pits formed at different places. While bathing, the four boys got stuck in one such pit and could not come out.
As soon as information about the incident was received, police, SDRF teams and local administration officials rushed to the spot and launched a rescue and relief operation.
- The area was thrown into panic after the incident, and there was chaos as family members and other pilgrims gathered at the spot.
Following the tragedy, the administration has appealed to devotees not to bathe in closed or restricted water channels and to strictly follow safety instructions. Authorities said that due to the monsoon, rivers and canals can develop deep pits and strong currents, and pilgrims should bathe only at designated and safe ghats under the supervision of security personnel.
