One body recovered, 2 youths still missing in Paonta Sahib drowning case

Combined search operations by rescue teams launched after yesterday’s drowning incident led to the recovery of one youth Amit Kumar today. Three youths from Gawali village in Shillai constituency were swept away in the strong current of the Yamuna river near Paonta Sahib’s Yamuna Ghat on Tuesday afternoon. Efforts on the second day on Wednesday resulted in the recovery of one body, while two youths are still missing.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Himachal Pradesh Police, Uttarakhand rafters and local divers continued the operation across multiple stretches of the river. By Wednesday afternoon, the body of 23-year-old Amit Kumar, son of Jogiram, was recovered nearly 20 km downstream at Kalesar in Yamunanagar district of Haryana. The search for the other two youths, Kamlesh and Rajneesh, both sons of Prem Singh, is still underway. Their father was seen sitting deep in sorrow by the riverbank, waiting for any news about his missing sons.

Deputy Commissioner Sirmaur Priyanka Verma and SP Nishchint Singh Negi visited the spot to oversee the ongoing operations. The DC stated that divers are deployed at Yamuna Ghat during the monsoon season and added that the administration will seek government approval to ensure year-round deployment of divers at the site. She clarified that no administrative lapse has been found in the incident.

The SP confirmed that multiple teams are searching for the missing youths, while warning that the river’s current remains dangerously high. Authorities appealed to the public to refrain from bathing in the Yamuna. As night fell on Wednesday, the rescue work was suspended due to poor visibility. Officials said the search operation for the two missing youths will resume on Thursday.

The incident has once again highlighted safety concerns at Paonta Sahib’s Yamuna Ghat, where over 60 people are reported to have drowned in the past two decades. Despite repeated tragedies, safety measures remain inadequate. Locals pointed out that only a single warning board has been placed at the site by authorities. They expressed frustration that about Rs 30 crore project to develop a modern ghat on the lines of Haridwar, announced two years ago under Namami Gange project, has not moved beyond paperwork.

Sanjay Kanwar, a local resident recalled that nearly three decades ago, the Uttar Pradesh government constructed a barrage near the ghat to harness Yamuna’s waters and promote water sports. However, due to local opposition and religious sentiments, the project was abandoned midway. The 30-foot-high barrage, he allege, has since created dangerous whirlpools that trap unsuspecting swimmers.

During the visit of senior officials on Wednesday, agitated locals demanded urgent measures, including talks with the Uttar Pradesh government to dismantle the unused barrage, installation of iron barricades along the riverfront to restrict entry into dangerous zones and permanent deployment of divers throughout the year.