NIT Silchar Students Drown in Waterfall Tragedy
A weekend excursion turned into a devastating tragedy for three first-year BTech students from NIT Silchar, who drowned at the Boulsol waterfall in Assam's Dima Hasao district. The bodies of all three victims were recovered following an extensive rescue operation spanning two days.
Rescue Operation and Recovery
The joint rescue team comprising Dima Hasao police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel recovered the final two bodies on Sunday evening. Sarbakritika Singh, aged 20, was the first to be found late on Saturday evening, while the bodies of her companions Sohardya Rai (20) and Radhika Singh (19) were located the following day.
All three students were pursuing BTech degrees at the prestigious institution. Following recovery, the bodies were transported to Haflong civil hospital for post-mortem examinations before being handed over to their grieving families.
How the Tragedy Unfolded
The incident occurred on Saturday when a group of seven NIT Silchar students visited the picturesque Boulsol waterfall, also known as Hmunthajao waterfall, located in the Harangajao area approximately 51 kilometers from Silchar.
According to police reports, the trio slipped and fell into a deep section of the waterfall, where they were caught by strong currents and swept away. The waterfall's powerful flow and deep pools created dangerous conditions that led to the fatal accident.
While Sarbakritika and Sohardya originally hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Radhika came from Bihar, highlighting how the tragedy has affected families across multiple states.
Official Response and Safety Measures
Dima Hasao Autonomous Council chief executive member Debolal Gorlosa visited the accident site on Sunday, accompanied by district BJP president Dhriti Thaosen. They interacted with local residents and NIT officials to understand the circumstances that led to this heartbreaking incident.
Calling it "an extremely tragic incident," Gorlosa expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families. He announced that the autonomous council would take immediate steps to strengthen safety measures for tourists visiting waterfalls and other natural attractions in the region.
This tragic event has raised serious questions about safety protocols at popular tourist spots and has left the NIT Silchar community in mourning, grappling with the loss of three young students with promising futures ahead of them.
