5 students play truant, one drowned in khud at Baddi

In a tragic incident, Teacher’s Day turned out to be the last day for a Class VIII student of Government Senior Secondary School, Kishenpura, who drowned in Sirsa Khud at Baddi last evening. His body was recovered by a police team on Friday afternoon.

The student, Bhawandeep, had gone to the khud, along with four other children, to bathe in the khud during lunch break at school. Celebrations were being held at the school to mark Teacher’s Day and parents had also been invited. Taking advantage of it, the five students decided to go to the khud, about 4 km from the school.

None of the children knew how to swim, and while the others remained near the bank, Bhawandeep ventured a little further into the water. He could not negotiate the current and was swept away.

Fearing an adverse reaction from the elders, the other children did not inform anyone about the incident. The deceased child’s mother had expired a year ago.

Bhawandeep’s father, a driver, initiated a search operation after his son did not return home last evening. He was informed by some onlookers that a school bag and clothes were found near the khud. Suspecting that the child had drowned, the aggrieved father informed the police, who initiated a search operation this morning and recovered the body.

After the police cajoled them, the four students revealed what had transpired.