AYODHYA: Tragedy struck Ayodhya’s Guptaar Ghat along the Saryu river on Friday noon when nine members of an Agra family, including women and children drowned while performing a ritual bath. While six bodies were retrieved by rescue teams, three others swept away by swirling currents are missing.
Fifteen pilgrims of the same family from Agra had come to Ayodhya to offer prayers at Ramjanmabhoomi and take a holy dip in the Saryu.
Eyewitnesses said, when some pilgrims tried to wade into the waters to take a dip, they slipped and fell. With no barricading chains along the Saryu to aid bathers, other family members who jumped into the river to save their kin were trapped in the strong current. Hearing their screams, residents swung into action and managed to rescue six of the family members. Soon, PAC jawans joined the rescue mission after the Ayodhya administration launched a massive search operation for the missing. “If trained life guards are deployed at the ghats, lives could have been saved,” said a local resident.Chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed senior officers to reach the spot and supervise rescue operation. He also directed divers, police and provincial armed constabulary (PAC) to conduct swift rescue operations. Chief medical superintendent, Ayodhya district hospital, Dr C N B Tripathi said, six bodies have reached the hospital and among them are two men, three women and a girl.
District magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha said, “Fifteen members of a family from Agra district were taking bath at Guptaar Ghat when they slipped into the Saryu and were swept away by the strong current. Six people have died, six been rescued, but three are still untraceable. Search operation is on.” The deceased included Lalit (40), Pankaj (25), Shruti (20), Rajkumari (60), Sita (35) and Drishti (4). Those missing include Priyanshi (16), Julee (35) and Sarthak (10). They are all residents of Shastri Puram area of Agra.
