A 25-year-old garage mechanic died after reportedly drowning while he had gone fishing in the Gondli reservoir’s submerged area in Chhattisgarh’s Balod district on Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Monu Dewangan, a resident of Bhainsbod village and son of Ramniwas Dewangan. His body was later found floating in the water, following which local residents informed the police.

According to the preliminary information, Monu went to the submerged area of Gondli reservoir at around 10.30 am on Tuesday to catch fish. What happened after that is still being pieced together. Police said he apparently entered or moved into deeper water and drowned. Local people later noticed a body floating upside down in the reservoir and alerted the authorities. Balod police reached the spot after receiving the information and began checking the circumstances surrounding the death.

The police also recovered the deceased’s power axle vehicle from the spot. Initial investigation points towards drowning, but officials have not ruled anything else out until the post-mortem examination is completed. There were no apparent injury marks on the body during the initial inspection, police said. A forensic team was also called to the location as part of the investigation.

Balod SDOP Vinay Kumar Sahu said the family had informed police that Monu had a history of epilepsy. This information is now also being considered while examining how the incident occurred. It is not yet clear whether he suffered any health-related episode before falling into the water or whether he lost his balance while fishing. Police are waiting for the medical examination and post-mortem findings before reaching a final conclusion.

The incident has left the family and people in the village shaken. Monu worked as a garage mechanic and had gone to the reservoir during the morning hours. The area is used by local people for fishing and other activities, but the deeper sections of the reservoir can become dangerous, particularly when a person is alone.

Police have registered a case of unnatural death and started further investigation. Officials are expected to speak with local residents who may have seen Monu near the reservoir before he disappeared. The exact sequence of events will become clearer after these statements are recorded and the post-mortem report is received.

For now, drowning remains the preliminary cause of death. However, investigators are treating the matter carefully because the circumstances immediately before Monu entered the water are not completely clear. The recovered vehicle, statements from witnesses and the forensic and medical findings will form part of the investigation.

The incident also highlights the risks involved in entering deep or unfamiliar sections of reservoirs for fishing, especially without another person nearby. In this case, local residents were the first to notice the body and inform the police. The investigation is continuing, while the family awaits the final medical findings.

At least five people drowned and two others were swept away in separate incidents as heavy rain swelled rivers and streams across Chhattisgarh. Rescue teams launched searches while local administrations urged residents to stay away from flooded crossings and water bodies.

Rain Raises Water Levels

Continuous rainfall has increased river flow and made familiar bathing spots, causeways and village crossings dangerous. Fast currents can develop without warning, particularly downstream from catchment areas receiving intense rain.

Search Operations Continue

Police, disaster-response teams and local volunteers have joined rescue efforts in affected districts. Poor visibility, strong currents and rising water levels can delay searches, especially in remote stretches without easy road access.

Preventable Monsoon Tragedies

Many drowning incidents occur when people attempt to cross overflowing roads, enter rivers for bathing or fishing, or underestimate current speed. Even shallow-looking water can sweep away people and vehicles when the flow is strong.

Administration Issues Appeal

Authorities have asked families to prevent children from approaching rivers and ponds during heavy rain. Barricades, warning boards and temporary closure of unsafe crossings will remain essential until water levels fall.

Two students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain district were found dead after allegedly drowning in a pond located within the school campus, triggering serious concerns over safety and supervision at the fully residential institution.

The victims have been identified as Pragyan Vimal (15), a Class 10 student, and Roshan Baretha (14), who studied in Class 9. While Pragyan's body was recovered floating in the pond early Tuesday morning, Roshan's body was found nearly 21 hours after the incident following an extensive search operation by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local divers.

Students Went Missing from Hostel

According to police, both students went missing from their hostel on Monday evening. When they failed to return to their rooms, school authorities informed the police.

A search operation was immediately launched by the Ghatia police. Officers examined CCTV footage from the campus and questioned fellow students, but no trace of the boys was found during the night.

The search resumed on Tuesday morning after information was received about a body floating in a pond situated near the school's boundary.

Bodies Recovered During Rescue Operation

At around 6 a.m., villagers alerted authorities after spotting a body floating in the pond. The body was recovered and identified as Pragyan Vimal. His remains were sent to the district hospital for post-mortem examination.

The search for Roshan continued throughout the day. SDRF personnel, assisted by local divers, eventually recovered his body approximately 21 hours after the incident. Both bodies have been shifted to the mortuary and will be handed over to their families after post-mortem formalities.

Safety Measures Under Scrutiny

The incident has raised questions over the security arrangements at the residential school. Authorities are investigating how two minor students managed to leave their hostel rooms unnoticed during the night.

Family members and local residents have alleged lapses in night roll-call procedures, hostel supervision, and campus security. They have demanded accountability if negligence by the school administration is established.

Police officials said further action will depend on the findings of the post-mortem reports and the ongoing investigation. If any negligence on the part of the school management is confirmed, legal action will be initiated against those responsible.

Family Mourns Personal Loss

Pragyan Vimal's death has deeply affected his family. He was the only brother among three sisters and had lost both his parents earlier. Following his father's death, his elder sister received a compassionate government appointment and had been supporting his education while he studied at the Navodaya school.

Authorities are continuing the investigation to determine the exact circumstances that led to the tragic deaths.

A tragic accident claimed the lives of two young children after they drowned in a historic stepwell inside the ancient Chaturbhuji Temple complex at Kumbhargarh village in Chhattisgarh's Raipur district on Saturday morning. The incident occurred under the Dharsiwa police station limits and has sparked renewed demands from local residents for improved safety measures around the deep water structure.

According to police, the victims have been identified as Sakshi Sahu (7) and Shravan Dheewar (4), both residents of Kurra village in Dharsiwa. The children were reportedly playing near the temple premises when they accidentally slipped into the stepwell and drowned.

Children Fell Into Deep Water

Police officials said the children had gone to the temple complex along with other youngsters on Saturday morning. While playing, they reached the edge of the ancient stepwell, where they are believed to have lost their balance and fallen into the deep water.

When the children could not be found for an extended period, family members and villagers began searching for them. Their search eventually led them to the stepwell.

Divers and local residents joined the rescue effort and recovered both children from the water. However, by the time they were brought out, they had already died.

Police Launch Investigation

Dharsiwa Police reached the spot soon after receiving information about the incident. The bodies were taken into custody and sent for post-mortem examination.

Station House Officer (TI) Rajendra Diwan said a case of accidental death has been registered, and an investigation has been initiated to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The incident has left the entire village in mourning, with grieving families and residents gathering at the temple complex following the accident.

Villagers Raise Safety Concerns

Following the incident, local residents expressed anger over the lack of safety arrangements around the historic stepwell.

Villagers said the centuries-old structure contains deep water throughout the year but lacks adequate protective infrastructure. According to them, there is no strong boundary wall, fencing or protective grill around the stepwell, nor are there warning signs cautioning visitors about the danger.

Residents claimed they had previously urged authorities to strengthen safety measures at the site, but no concrete action had been taken.

Demand for Protective Measures

After the deaths, villagers have appealed to the district administration to immediately secure the area by constructing protective walls or installing iron grills around the stepwell. They have also demanded the installation of warning boards to alert visitors, particularly children, about the potential danger.

Residents believe such measures are essential to prevent similar tragedies in the future, especially as the temple attracts local devotees and children frequently visit the premises.

Authorities are expected to review the safety arrangements at the site as the police investigation into the incident continues.

Students from GRMC went into restricted area; search resumed at dawn

 Rescue teams recovered the body of one MBBS student late Saturday night and continued searching on Sunday for his friend after both reportedly drowned in the Tiaghara (Tighra) Dam on the outskirts of Gwalior. Initial reports indicate the two slipped into a deep, muddy section of the reservoir while visiting a restricted, rocky stretch where public access is prohibited.

What happened
According to police and rescue officials, the incident occurred around 7pm on Saturday in the “kacchi paar” area roughly 3 km from the boat club. Eight second‑year students from Gajraraja Medical College (GRMC) had gone for a picnic — four male and four female classmates — and were standing near the water when 21‑year‑old Gopal Agrawal (Bina, Sagar) and Ayush Srivastava (Muzaffarpur, Bihar) moved closer and stepped into the water. Witnesses said both students suddenly lost their footing and sank in an area estimated to be 40–50 feet deep.

Recovery and ongoing search
Local police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and trained divers were called after other students found the victims’ shoes and clothes neatly placed on the rocky bank and could not locate them. Gopal’s body was recovered late Saturday night, officials said. Search operations for Ayush resumed before dawn on Sunday and were still under way at the time of filing.

“Teams worked through the night using boats and high‑power lights,” a senior police official at the scene told reporters. “Local divers and SDRF personnel are conducting grid searches, but the dam’s depth, mud and submerged boulders are making the operation difficult.” Authorities said Ayush’s search had been active since 6am on Sunday.

Official responses
Circle Superintendent of Police (CSP) Krishanpal Singh said families of both students had been informed and reached Gwalior. “We reached the site immediately after the information came in and are coordinating with SDRF and local diving teams,” he said. The Tighra Dam’s flow and the restricted status of the ‘kacchi paar’ area complicate both access and visibility, Singh added.

At Gajraraja Medical College, Dean Dr RKS Dhakad described the incident as a “very sad loss” for the institution. “They had gone out for a picnic. This is a huge blow for the college and for the families,” he said, declining to give further comment while relatives were en route.

Family reactions
Relatives of the deceased reached Gwalior in the early hours of Sunday. Gopal’s brother Piyush and other family members arrived after receiving the message late Saturday night. A family member, Pradeep Agrawal, said Gopal was the youngest of five siblings and that his elder brother had been supporting his medical education. “He cleared NEET on his first attempt in 2024 and was very bright. He used to say he would stand shoulder to shoulder with his brother,” Pradeep said, adding that the family was in shock.

Ayush’s family has departed Muzaffarpur for Gwalior and were expected to arrive by Sunday afternoon, officials confirmed.

Why rescue is tough
Rescue personnel warned that submerged silt and irregular rocky contours under the dam make dive operations hazardous and time‑consuming. “The depth varies sharply; divers can’t see well because of mud and suspended particles. We are using sonar and manual grid searches where possible,” an SDRF team leader said.

Public safety and next steps
Tighra Dam officials reiterated that the kacchi paar area is off‑limits to visitors and urged people to avoid entering restricted zones. The local police said they would continue search operations until all possibilities were exhausted and would examine whether safety signage or enforcement around the dam needs strengthening.

Investigating officers said they will record statements from the surviving students and witnesses, and submit a preliminary report to the district authorities. Meanwhile, the college has offered counselling support to classmates and staff.