5 dead, 1 missing in separate drowning incidents in Mathura, Kasganj

Agra: Five people, including three teenagers, died in three separate drowning incidents in Mathura and Kasganj districts over the weekend, while another man remained missing after being swept away in a canal, police said on Sunday. The bodies of all five victims were recovered following search operations by police, PAC personnel, local divers and NDRF teams.In Mathura, a 15-year-old boy drowned in Mansi Ganga lake in Govardhan area on Sunday morning after completing Govardhan parikrama with his mother and relatives. Bhim Singh, a Class 8 student from Agra, was bathing in the lake when he slipped into a deeper section and drowned. Police, assisted by divers and an NDRF team, recovered the body and sent it for postmortem.In Kasganj, four men who entered Hazara canal for a swim on Saturday evening were swept away by the strong current. Three brothers — Jai Prakash Singh, 27, Ajay Singh, 24, and Harendra Singh alias Chhotu, 23, all farmers from Tikri Kala village under Sikandra Rao police station limits in Hathras — had travelled to Kasganj with their cousin, Sumit Singh, 24, and entered the canal, a popular picnic spot, around 2pm.Eyewitnesses told police that the four drifted into a deeper section and began struggling in the current. “Local police teams and PAC personnel were pressed into action to trace the missing men,” Kasganj SP OP Singh said. Police recovered the bodies of Jai Prakash and Chhotu on Sunday and sent them for postmortem. Sumit was rescued, while a search was on for Ajay.In another incident in Mathura, two teenage cousins from Agra drowned while bathing in Mansi Ganga on Saturday morning. Manish Singh, 14, and Prince Singh, 15, had come with their families from Nagla Kaidi village to perform Govardhan parikrama.Govardhan SHO Bhagwat Singh Gurjar told TOI that the two were among a group of pilgrims visiting Govardhan during Adhik Maas. Police, local divers and a PAC flood unit launched a search operation and recovered the bodies.Following the two incidents at Mansi Ganga, police stepped up surveillance around the waterbody. Mathura SP (Rural) Suresh Chandra Rawat told TOI, “Lakhs of devotees visit the Braj region during the Adhik Maas festival and undertake the 21-km Giriraj Maharaj parikrama. Keeping the large turnout in mind, extensive security arrangements have been made. Barricades have been put up around kunds, while mesh fencing is being installed at vulnerable spots to prevent accidents. Announcements are also being made through loudspeakers, urging devotees not to enter deep water bodies and to follow safety guidelines.”