Narmadapuram, July 27 (IANS) A 30-year-old man from Indore was swept away by the strong currents of the Narmada River while bathing at the Sahastradhara Ghat near Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district, prompting an extensive search operation that continued for the second day on Monday, police said.
The missing man has been identified as Arpit Hada, a resident of the Nipania area in Indore.
According to police, Hada had come to Maheshwar with five family members on Sunday to visit the famous tourist destination and nearby places. After sightseeing, the family reached the Sahastradhara area at Jalkoti between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. While taking a dip in the Narmada River, Hada allegedly slipped on the rocky riverbed and was swept into deep water by the strong current.
Family members who accompanied him raised an alarm and sought help from people present at the spot. Boatmen, local residents and other tourists rushed to the riverbank, but none could enter the river because of the powerful current, deep water and rocky terrain.
After receiving information about the incident, Maheshwar police, Home Guard personnel, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and local divers launched a search operation on Sunday evening.
The teams searched several stretches of the river until late in the night but could not trace him.
The operation was suspended after darkness and resumed early on Monday with boats and rescue personnel combing the area.
Maheshwar police station in-charge Jagdish Goyal said the search operation was continuing and no trace of the missing man had been found so far.
“The Jalkoti-Sahastradhara stretch of the Narmada is extremely hazardous due to strong currents, deep water and a rocky riverbed. Tourists and devotees should avoid bathing in unfamiliar or deep sections of the river and strictly follow safety advisories,” Goyal said.
Police said the rescue operation would continue until the missing man was traced.
Meanwhile, the police also reiterated their appeal to visitors to exercise caution while entering the river, particularly during the monsoon season when water levels and currents remain high.
–IANS
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