Ropar, December 11

A man drowned while his son was washed away when they went to perform some ritual at Bhakra canal at Bada Pind near here today.

Passersby managed to rescue Balbir Singh (70), but he was declared dead by doctors. The body of his son Gurpreet Singh (45), however, could not be traced. The father-son duo belonged to Pinjore in Haryana.

ASI Surjit Singh said Balbir and Gurpreet reached on the banks of the canal by a car to perform some ritual in the afternoon. As Balbir slipped into the canal and was washed away in the heavy current of canal water, Gurpreet threw his turban in the water to save his father, but Balbir could not reach him. Then Gurpreet jumped into the water and was washed away.

Passersby tried to save both of them but Gurpreet could not be traced while Balbir was found dead, said Surjit Singh. — TNS