Man jumps into BSL canal to save friend, both drown

Two men reportedly drowned in the BSL canal at Baggi in Balh tehsil of Mandi district on Friday night. Mandi SP Sakshi Verma said that the police had recorded the statement of Hardeep Singh, who was present on the spot when the incident occurred.

“Hardeep revealed that he was celebrating his marriage anniversary near the canal along with his friends Sudhir, aka Pankaj, and Ashish Gautam, a resident of Bilaspur. As Sudhir slipped into the canal, Ashish jumped into the waters to save him. Tragically, both men were swept away by the strong current of the canal,” added the SP.

Sakshi said, “Efforts are underway to locate the missing individuals. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force, along with police and professional divers, are conducting intensive search and rescue operations in the area. So far, both men are untraceable.”

Meanwhile, the district authorities have urged the public to exercise caution while going near water bodies, especially during the monsoon season.