Six drown during idol immersion in Delhi

Goddess Durga idols being immersed. (Express photo/File).

Six people drowned after they were swept away by a strong current during the Durga Puja idol immersion on Saturday, according to officials from the Delhi Fire Services (DFS).

The DFS, along with several divers from the boat club, undertook rescue operations and managed to fish out six bodies. DFS officials added that efforts are on to find another person who fell into the river.

According to DFS, the first incident was reported around 11 am in northeast Delhi’s Sonia Vihar. “We received a call about a group of people being swept away by the strong current near Chauhan Patti. We managed to fish out two bodies from the water,” a DFS official said.

One of the dead was identified as Himanshu (13). The second victim was a boy around the same age. “His family told us that the boy slipped while immersing the idol near the river bank. A search is on for other members of the group,” an official said.

In the second incident, officials said a group of teenagers were swept away by the current. Two of them, however, managed to swim to the river bank.

According to fire officials, a call was received at 5 pm. “We deputed a fire tender to the spot and managed to recover four bodies. Rescue operations are underway to find the fifth body,” the official said.

A local SHO was deputed to the spot, along with several policemen. Police said that of the four bodies recovered, two are boys aged between 13 and 16.