Narmadapuram drowning: Bodies of two youths recovered

Bhopal, June 16
The bodies of two young men who drowned in the Narmada river on Sunday evening have been recovered, bringing a tragic close to the incident that occured at Vivekananda Ghat (also known as Sethani ghat) in Narmadapuram.

The bodies of the victims, 20-year-old Dilkhush Thakur and 17-year-old Yash Mehra, were found early Monday morning after an extensive search operation.

Dilkhush’s body was located around 6:30 am near the ghat, while Yash was recovered approximately an hour later, a kilometre downstream at Korighat by the State Disaster Response Force, police said.

The drowning occurred around 5 PM on Sunday when the two, along with their friend Krishna Thakur (younger brother of Dilkhush), went to the ghat for a swim.

Krishna remained on the ghat steps, while Dilkhush and Yash crossed the safety chain and entered deeper waters.

Neither of them knew how to swim, and they were quickly overwhelmed by the river’s fast current. Krishna’s cries for help went unanswered by bystanders, some of whom reportedly recorded the incident on their phones.

A video capturing the final moments before the boys vanished beneath the surface of the water has since been circulated on social media, prompting public outrage and sorrow.

Rescue efforts began shortly after the incident but were halted due to darkness.

The operation resumed at dawn with the assistance of divers and SDRF personnel. Both bodies were sent to the district hospital for post-mortem examination.

Every day hundreds of devotees visit the ghat and take a holy dip in the Narmada river at Narmadapuram.

The ghat was built in the 19th century by Jankibai Sethani following complaints from devotees to her about difficulties faced by them in getting into the water.

Sunday's tragedy has reignited concerns about safety at riverfronts like Vivekananda Ghat.

Local residents have criticised the lack of lifeguards, warning signs, and enforcement of safety protocols, especially during the monsoon season when the river’s flow becomes unpredictable.