Bareilly (UP), March 26 The body of a 30-year-old man, who fell into an open drain at the busy Satellite bus stand here, was recovered early Thursday after a nearly 30-hour-long rescue operation, police said.
Despite rescue attempts by passersby, Tauheed, a resident of Hardoi district, was swept away by a strong current after he reportedly slipped and fell into an open drain while trying to board a bus from the busy terminus around 9.30 pm on Tuesday, they said.
Police and municipal teams launched a rescue operation around midnight using excavators to clear the drain, but it was hampered by heavy garbage accumulation and strong water flow.
On Wednesday, teams from the SDRF and NDRF joined the operation, removed the slabs covering the drain, pumped out water, and cleared the debris, but the body could not be found till late at night.
The body was finally found around 3 am on Thursday after extensive cleaning of the drain using heavy machinery, police said.
Local SHO Dhananjay Kumar Pandey said the identity of the deceased was confirmed through an Aadhaar card found in his pocket.
"His family has been informed. Tauheed had come to Bareilly for some work," the SHO said.
Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Kumar Maurya said, "Garbage and strong water flow posed significant challenges in the rescue efforts. Continuous attempts were made by removing the slabs and clearing the drain, leading to the recovery of the body."
Strict action would be taken if any negligence is found on the part of the concerned officials, he added.
