2 youths from UP’s Amroha drown in Ganga in Rishikesh

Bijnor: Two youths from Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha district were swept away in the strong currents of the Ganga river while taking photographs near a restricted ghat in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh on Thursday evening. The incident occurred near Double Triple Beach under Laxman Jhula police station.

Lakshman Jhula police post in-charge Surya Bhushan Negi told TOI on Friday, “The youths were Youtubers and were clicking photos in a prohibited area. A rescue and search operation is underway.”

They were standing close to the riverbank when they lost their balance and fell into the river. Their two friends tried to rescue them, but the swift current swept both youths away.

The two youths have been identified as Mohammad Faizan (25) and Mohammad Kaif (19) -- both from Naugawan Sadat in UP’s Amroha district.

Two others accompanying the drowned youths on the Rishikesh trip were Jishan and Raza. Jishan and Faizan were brothers, police said.