Meerut (UP), April 3 Four children are feared to have drowned in the Ganga river while bathing at a ghat here on Friday, while another was rescued, police said.
The incident took place at the Makhdumpur Ganga ghat in the Hastinapur area, when five children who had accompanied their families for a funeral were caught in the strong current while bathing.
Senior Superintendent of Police Avinash Pandey said that some residents from the Incholi area had come to the ghat for the last rites of an elderly woman. After the funeral, the children went about 200 metres away to bathe in the river, when they were suddenly swept away by the strong current.
He said that a man, Rahul from Jalalpur, managed to rescue one child, while the other four were swept away and are feared to be drowned.
Upon receiving information, senior officials, including the superintendent of police (rural), the additional district magistrate, and the circle officer, reached the spot and assessed the situation.
A search operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), divers, and a motorboat from the forest department is underway.
Police said that till late evening, there was no trace of the four missing children and efforts to locate them were continuing.