Youth washed away while crossing overflowing nullah in Uttarakhand

Pankaj Thapa, a resident of Chhadayal Nayak, was on his way from Basani to Baldiyakhan on a bike along with two of his friends when the incident happened.

Haldwani (Uttarakhand): A youth trying to cross a flooded Bhakra Nullah at Haldwani-Ramnagar road was washed away by strong currents on Saturday. A video of the incident has emerged in which the youth can be seen trying to cross the overflowing Nullah, however, he slips and gets washed away.

The youth was identified as 27-year-old Pankaj Thapa, a resident of Chhadayal Nayak. He was on his way from Basani to Baldiyakhan on a bike along with two of his friends when the incident happened at around 6 pm. His friends stood across the Nullah and kept screaming for help but Pankaj disappeared within a few seconds.

Soon police and SDRF team reached the spot and conducted a search operation in the Nullah for several kilometres, but Pankaj could not be found.

Mukhani police station in-charge Rakesh Bohra said the search was still on for the young man. He appealed to the people to stay away from the overflowing channels during the rainy season.