Haridwar: What began as a moment of devotion for a Gujarat family by the holy Ganga turned into an unimaginable tragedy on Wednesday, as two young siblings drowned to death during their sacred bath (Ganga Snan) at Santmat Ghat, here in Uttarakhand. The heart-wrenching incident left the family shattered and other devotees deeply saddened.
The family, hailing from Baji Pura village in Tapi district, Gujarat, had come to Haridwar for ‘Ganga darshan’ and to perform the holy ritual of bathing in Ganga. According to police, at around 10 a.m. on Wednesday in Santmat Ghat near Parmarth Ghat, 13-year-old Pratyusha and her 6-year-old brother Darsh were caught in the river’s swift current.
Despite frantic efforts by the family and other devotees to save them, the siblings were swept away. Witnesses watched helplessly as the siblings disappeared into the river’s depths.
Police from the Saptarishi outpost arrived promptly, aided by water police and divers. Eventually found unconscious near Thokar No. 13, the siblings were rushed to Haridwar District Hospital by ambulance. Tragically, doctors pronounced them dead upon arrival.
Haridwar SP City Pankaj Gairola confirmed the family’s presence during the incident, describing their desperate yet futile attempts to save the children. “The children’s bodies have been sent for postmortem, and the family is inconsolable," he said.
The tragic loss of young lives has left not only the family devastated but also cast a shadow of sorrow over other pilgrims at the ghat.
Haridwar SP City Pankaj Gairola shared the heartbreaking details, noting how the family desperately tried to save the children but couldn’t overcome the river’s strong currents. “Their loss is unimaginable. The children’s bodies have been sent for postmortem, and the family is completely shattered,” he said.
The tragic loss of the young siblings has left the family in deep grief and brought an overwhelming sense of sorrow to the pilgrims who witnessed the tragedy.
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