Kullu, March 21 —A fun outing turned tragic for two ITI students as their bodies were fished out from a deep pool of the Sainj River near the Bihali Power Project in Sainj area of Kullu district early Friday morning.
The victims — Dharmendra (18), son of Geeta Nand from Murah village, and Ghanshyam, son of Daya Ram from Kahra village, both hailing from Bali Chowki in Mandi — had gone missing on Thursday afternoon while bathing in the river.
According to eyewitnesses, the duo entered the river despite warnings about the rising water levels due to snowmelt and dam releases. The swift current pulled them in, and both disappeared within moments, leaving their friends in shock.
The local police, district administration, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) launched a massive search operation.
However, poor light conditions forced the teams to call off the search late Thursday evening. The operation resumed early Friday, and both bodies were recovered from a river pool after hours of effort.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of death. A case has been registered, and police are investigating the circumstances that led to the tragic accident.
Locals blamed a lack of proper warning signage and safety measures near the riverbanks, especially close to hydropower project areas where sudden water surges are common.
The district administration has once again appealed to tourists, locals, and students to stay away from riverbanks and avoid venturing into rivers, especially during this season when the water flow remains unpredictable.
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