Holi Celebrations End in Tragedy Across Gujarat with Multiple Drowning Deaths
The vibrant colors of Dhuleti celebrations across Gujarat turned to mourning on Wednesday as at least thirty-two people tragically drowned in various water bodies after venturing into rivers, canals, and ponds to wash off Holi colors. The incidents occurred in multiple districts, casting a shadow over the festive spirit.
Surat District Reports Highest Casualty Count
Surat city and district witnessed the highest number of fatalities, with at least ten deaths reported. In a heartbreaking incident in Pansara village of Mangrol taluka, a group of youths entered the Kim river for a post-Holi dip but began struggling against the strong current. Despite their desperate shouts for help, three young men drowned in the treacherous waters.
Another devastating incident occurred near Isroli village, where five men entered the Mindhola river. Tragically, four of them drowned. Rescue teams managed to recover three bodies, while an intensive search operation continues to locate the fourth missing person.
Within Surat city itself, three friends ventured into the Tapi river near Sarthana Nature Park. Two of them drowned, while one managed to swim to safety. The body of nineteen-year-old Jaydeep Viras has been recovered, but another youth, Krishna Chaudhary, remains missing. Preliminary investigations reveal these youths had traveled from the Vesu area before entering the river.
In a separate Surat incident, thirty-year-old Navin Parihar drowned in the Tapi river near Mota Varachha, adding to the growing toll.
Ahmedabad Mourns Loss of Children and Young Adults
Ahmedabad city and district reported seven tragic deaths, including three young children. The children drowned at Zholasar Lake in Sitapur village of Mandal taluka after venturing into deeper water while attempting to wash off Holi colors. Although villagers pulled them from the water, they had already succumbed.
In the city's Kotarpur area, four friends drowned in the Sabarmati river. They have been identified as twenty-one-year-old Durgesh Kori, twenty-one-year-old Sahil Kori, seventeen-year-old Piyush Maherchandani, and twenty-eight-year-old Sunny Yadav, all residents of the Kubernagar area. A vigilant passer-by noticed them struggling in the water and immediately alerted the fire brigade, but rescue efforts proved unsuccessful.
Saurashtra Region Also Affected by Multiple Incidents
The festival also turned tragic in parts of Saurashtra, where four people died in separate drowning incidents. In Amreli district, thirty-year-old Sameer Solanki, a resident of Baharpara, drowned in the Shetrunji river. Meanwhile, in Devbhumi Dwarka district, sixteen-year-old Mayank Karmur drowned while swimming in a pond in Kalyanpur.
A double tragedy struck Bela village in Rajkot district when two thirteen-year-old friends, Mahavirsinh Jadav and Ayush Shiyal, drowned in a river where they had gone to bathe after Holi celebrations.
Additional Fatalities Reported Across Other Districts
In Vadodara, twenty-five-year-old Ajay Sharma drowned in a canal in the Sama-Chhani area. Another person, Ashish Verma, slipped into the Narmada canal near Bhimpura village and died.
Mahisagar district witnessed a particularly tragic incident where four friends from Kantar village drowned after reportedly misjudging the depth of a pond in Kamalpur village. The deceased have been identified as twenty-one-year-old Amit Baria, twenty-one-year-old Tushar Baria, twenty-one-year-old Jayesh Baria, and Jayesh's nineteen-year-old brother Vipul Baria. In another Mahisagar incident, twenty-five-year-old Jigar Parmar of Naar village was found dead in a canal in Vardhara village.
Mehsana district reported two drowning deaths when fourteen-year-old Jayraj Thakor and twenty-three-year-old Vijay Thakor, both from Bhadu village, drowned in the Sujalam Sufalam canal near Motidau.
Two deaths were also reported in Aravalli district, where twenty-eight-year-old Anand Khant and twenty-five-year-old Ranjitsinh Dabhi drowned in the Mazum River near Jalampura village.
These tragic incidents highlight the critical importance of water safety awareness during festive periods, particularly when celebratory activities involve water bodies with unpredictable currents and depths.
