Bodies of all 24 engineering students from Hyderabad recovered

Mandi/

, July 21: The longest-ever search operation to recover bodies of 24 B.Tech students, who drowned in River

in Mandi district on June 8, came to a close with recovery of bodies of two girl students. With this, the bodies of all 24 students have been recovered and only a co-tour guide Pralahad is missing.

The bodies of Dasari Srinidhi and Kasarla Rishita Reddy were seen floating in the Pandoh Dam reservoir yesterday and taken out by a search team, police said.

A co-tour guide and 24 engineering students, including six girls, were washed away when the Larji Hydropower Project authorities suddenly released water from the dam on the evening of June 8. About 600 men of NDRF, Army, Navy, Police, ITBP and 50 expert divers conducted a search in swirling waters of Beas for 44 days.

Taking suo moto notice of the news reports regarding the incident, the Himachal High Court had taken up the matter and the management of the Hyderabad college and Larji project authorities were asked to pay compensation of Rs 5 lakh to next of kin of each victims which was to be shared in 50:50 ratio. The court had also ordered a thorough enquiry in the matter and monitored the enquiry by Divisional Commissioner, Mandi.

PTI