Three children drowned, two missing in 2 incidents

Summer vacations turned out to be disastrous for five families of Ludhiana whose children faced tragedies while visiting water bodies passing through the city.

The administration too remained on toes handling the situation due to the distress and resentment among parents of the victims and activists.

Victims’ families believe that their children could not have visited the Ganda Nullah and Sidhwan Canal, had they not been at home due to the ongoing summer vacation.

Mohammad Rafiq Ansari of Kundan Puri said when his wife had sent their eldest son Ashiq Ansari (10) to buy something from market on Friday, the latter had slipped into the Ganda Nullah while crossing a girder. All his hopes shattered when the body of his son was recovered from the drain on the fateful night.

Earlier on Thursday afternoon, eight children had gone to take a bath in the Sidhwan Canal, passing through Lohara village on the outskirts of the city to beat the scorching heat.

It seems that the children were aware of risks involved in entering deep water of the canal as they planned to take support of a metal wire tied outside the canal.

However, the wire broke, leaving all children at the mercy of the water current.

Four of the children were fortunate to swim safely to the bank and come out of the canal.

Parkash (14), Molu, alias Sahil (10), Manish and Golu were swayed with the water current and the bodies of Parkash and Molu were recovered from the stretch of the canal, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Model Town police.

Model Town SHO Balwinder Singh said officials posted at the Sahnewal police station had started rescue operations on the fateful day, which were continued jointly by personnel at both police stations.

Swimming in water bodies during summer vacations has been a common practice in this part of Malwa.

Last year too, four youngsters had drowned while taking a dip in the Sutlej during June and the then Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney had issued an order prohibiting bathing in canals and other water bodies.

Residents, including victims’ families have urged the administration to take steps to prevent recurrence of such tragedies.

Ludhiana