Hindon drowning: Rescue mission to find two missing minors stalled, to continue on Saturday

Rescue mission halted in Noida as two minors presumed drowned in Hindon river. Search paused, to resume with surveillance overnight. Tragic incident not uncommon in the area.

Noida: A rescue mission led by the Noida police and the National Disaster Response Force came to a halt on Friday, several hours after two minors who had come to take bath in the Hindon river went missing and were presumed drowned near Kakrala Pushta in Noida.

Residents of the area said that this was not the first time such an incident had happened and every year at least one to two cases like this happens. (HT Photo)

“Today we searched 15 kms of the area, police and the fire department were deployed immediately after we were apprised of the occurrence. Although the search might have stopped for a while, we will set up surveillance in multiple spots adjacent to the river to identify the two boys throughout the entire night,” officials familiar with the matter said.

The two children identified were aged 8 and 11, and according to their parents, the minors had decided to take a dip in the river after they returned home after taking their exams. At least 5 to 6 other boys had accompanied the two missing minors for the swim in the river.

“I had gone to work, upon receiving information that my son was missing, I immediately rushed to meh house,” an agonised mother of a minor and to four other children, said, while awaiting near the banks of the river, hopeful of a result.

Another minor’s father, who was shell shocked at what had happened, said, “…their exams are ongoing and right after that I don’t even know if he came home or not, he rushed to the river and since then he and the others are missing.”

Locals recounted that the incident is said to have occurred between 10.30 and 11am and the police and the fire department were rushed to the spot around 2.15 pm on Friday.

Six hours after the occurrence of the incident, private divers were deployed by the Noida police to have a check and after at least 30 minutes of search, the divers ceased their operation and told the police and the parents of the child that if any progress is expected, it would only transpire after Saturday morning around 10am.

Residents of the area said that this was not the first time such an incident had happened and every year at least one to two cases like this happens.