Seven youths drown in Subarnarekha: Five bodies recovered

Jamshedpur, Oct 29 (UNI) In a tragic incident seven teenagers while taking bath in the Subarnarekha to mark Chhat puja drowned here this monring.

Superintendent of police Ashish Batra told UNI that five bodies were recovered by the divers and the rescue operaton was on to trace out the remaining two bodies.

The deceased have been identified as Vikash Sahu, Manoj Dutta, Rajesh Dutta, Suraj Patra and Banty- all teenagers and the residents of Nirmalnagar in Bhuiyandih area of this steel city.

The bodies of Shiva and Satish were yet to be recovered from the surging waters, Mr Batra said.

He said the youths had gone to take bathe before offering prayer to Sun god to mark the end of the two-day Chhat puja, a major Hindu festival for major parts of eastern India.

While they got down in the river bed they fell into quicksand and drowned, Mr Batra said. The Subarnarekha is notorious for quicksand.

The recovered bodies were sent for post mortem.

Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended in the area as the wailing family members were asked to take the bodies.

Jamshedpur M P Sunil Mahto and Jharkhand minister Dulal Bhuinya were seen among the rescuers searching two missing youths.

They alleged the lack of safey arrangements on the part of the distirct administration cost the lives. They also demanded compensation of Rs five lakh each and a government job to the next of the kin of the victims.

Mr Mahto said he would talk to cheif minister Madhu Koda, who is schduled to visit the steel city today.

UNI BDG PC/SRC1907