HT DIGITAL
GUWAHATI, JULY 31: A religious ritual in Silchar turned into a tragedy on the evening of Wednesday, July 30, when a man got carried away by the rush of the Barak River during the immersion of a Goddess Mansa idol at the Sadarghat immersion ghat. The accident occurred to three relatives of the family, who fell into the river while taking part in the last rituals of the Mansa Puja.
The deceased—brothers Gaurang Ghosh and Krishna Ghosh, and their relative Biplab Das—had arranged the puja at their home on Second Link Road and were doing the immersion rituals when the accident took place. Krishna Ghosh and Biplab Das fell into the river by accident while performing the rituals, the eyewitnesses and relatives said. In a desperate attempt to rescue his younger brother Gaurang Ghosh, who was said not to have learned how to swim, jumped into the water but was soon overwhelmed by the powerful flow.
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The condition might have taken a turn for the worse but for the swift action of the mounted patrol team of the Sadar Police, who were on duty in the area. Constable Jamil Ahmed Mazumdar showed extraordinary bravery and creativity, utilizing a cloth as an improvised rope to rescue Krishna and Biplab from the river and save their lives.
Gaurang Ghosh, however, is still missing and is suspected to have drowned. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has initiated a massive search and rescue operation in order to find him. Cachar’s Additional Superintendent of Police, Numal Mahatta, made a visit to the spot to oversee the operation and gauge the ground realities.
The accident has draped the community in an aura of sorrow, converting what was supposed to be a holy and festive occasion into a night of fear and sadness. Rescue efforts are still underway as there is hope some trace of the missing man would be seen.
