3 youths drown in Yamuna

Three boys were drowned while taking a bath in the Yamuna — which forms the boundary between Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand — at Paonta Sahib on Friday.

The trio, seeking respite from the intense heatwave, ventured into the river near Yamuna Ghat was unable to escape the strong currents.

The deceased had been identified as Dharendra Saini (22), Raghav Mishra (21), both from Derabassi in Punjab; and Abhishek Azad (21), a resident of Sector 9D, Chandigarh.

Upon receiving the distress call, local administrative authorities launched a search and rescue operation. Divers recovered the bodies late this evening. The bodies have been sent to a local mortuary and post mortem will be conducted on Saturday.

The scorching heat drives not only locals, but tourists also to the nearby rivers and streams, who have little or no understanding of the risks involved. The police have urged public to exercise caution and avoid swimming in unfamiliar or hazardous water bodies, especially during the extreme weather conditions.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation and have increased patrols along popular bathing spots.