A 52-year-old trader and wrestler from Panipat tragically drowned in the Western Yamuna Canal (WYC) near Yamunanagar while celebrating the New Year with friends. Despite a large-scale search operation involving the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), his body remained untraced until late Friday evening.
Details of the Tragic Incident
The incident occurred late on Thursday evening near Nagawa Jagir in the Buria police station area. The victim has been identified as Devender, a resident of village Buana Lakhu in Panipat's Israna police station area. According to Jagadhri SDM Vishwanath, Devender had come to Yamunanagar on Thursday with three friends: Sandeep, Surjeet, and Praveen.
After visiting several places in the city, the group reached the WYC near Kashmargarh village in the Buria area in the evening. Friends informed the police that Devender decided to bathe in the canal. Despite warnings from his companions about the cold weather and darkness, he entered the water. Soon after stepping in, he began to drown and submerged.
Massive Search Operation Launched
His friends immediately raised an alarm and sought help. The Buria police reached the spot promptly and launched a night search with the help of local divers Amar Singh and Ramkesh. The operation, however, proved unsuccessful.
On Friday, the search was intensified with the deployment of an SDRF team alongside local divers. The teams used boats to conduct a thorough search from the incident site up to the Buria bridge. Despite these efforts, no trace of Devender was found till the reporting time.
Appeal for Information and Ongoing Efforts
The Buria Station House Officer (SHO) stated that efforts to locate the missing trader are ongoing. Authorities have appealed to the public to share any information related to the incident. The search operation will continue until further leads emerge.
Contact numbers for information:
- 9416189278
- 9050507676
- 9416218815
