Four children went missing after a boat carrying people for Durga idol immersion capsized in the right main canal of the Chambal river in Rajasthan’s Kota on Tuesday evening. Two others were rescued safely, while teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), municipal corporation divers and civil defence personnel launched a search operation for the missing children.
The incident took place near the Steel Bridge on 80 Feet Road in the Borkheda police station area on October 20. The boat reportedly lost its balance and overturned amid the strong current of the canal, throwing those on board into the water.
According to preliminary information, children and adults from Sanjay Gandhi Nagar in the Vigyan Nagar area had gathered at the canal for the Durga idol immersion. Some children and young people boarded a boat and entered the canal during the immersion when the accident occurred.
The four missing children were identified as Keshu, Golu, Suresh and Rahul. Mala Kanwar and Deepak were rescued safely.
The incident triggered panic in the area, with family members of the missing children and a large number of local residents rushing to the spot. The families were left distraught as rescue teams continued their search.
Rescue Teams Launch Search Operation
Soon after receiving information about the accident, the district administration, police and rescue teams swung into action. SDRF personnel, municipal corporation divers and civil defence teams began searching the canal for the missing children.
The strong water current posed a major challenge to the operation. Rescue teams searched multiple locations along the canal, while efforts were also made to reduce the water flow to facilitate the search.
The search operation continued late into Tuesday evening as teams worked to locate the missing children.
Om Birla Visits Spot, Directs Intensified Search
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla visited the accident site after being informed about the incident. He reviewed the rescue operation with officials and directed them to intensify efforts to trace the missing children.
Birla instructed the SDRF to expand the search area and conduct thorough searches near locations fitted with stoppers in the canal to ensure that no section was left unchecked. He also directed officials to deploy all necessary resources and continue the operation without interruption.
Minister Madan Dilawar, Senior Officials Review Rescue Efforts
Rajasthan Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar was also present at the spot and monitored the rescue operation. He had directed the district administration to take immediate action after learning about the accident.
District Collector Piyush Samariya and Kota City Superintendent of Police Tejaswini Gautam also reached the site to assess the situation. Police and administrative officials coordinated with the rescue teams as the search continued.
Probe Ordered Into Accident
Birla directed the district collector to investigate the circumstances that led to the accident. He also stressed the need for adequate safety arrangements during idol immersion ceremonies to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The incident left the area in mourning and raised concerns over safety during immersion activities. The administration’s immediate priority remained locating the missing children and completing the rescue operation.
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