Another tragic incident occurred at the popular Itma Waterfall in Rewa district on Monday when a 23-year-old youth slipped and fell into the deep gorge while clicking a selfie.

The victim, identified as Suryakant Kumar, a resident of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, had come to the waterfall with his family for a day trip. According to eyewitnesses, he was standing near the edge trying to take a selfie when he lost balance and plunged into the water below. The incident happened so suddenly that family members could not react in time.

As soon as information reached the police, a team from Atraila police station rushed to the spot along with SDERF personnel. A full-fledged rescue and search operation was launched immediately. SDERF officials, led by Sub-Inspector Vikas Pandey, have been conducting intensive searches in the river and surrounding areas since morning.

Despite continuous efforts, no trace of the youth has been found so far. The strong water current and depth of the gorge are making the rescue operation extremely challenging for the divers.

This is not the first such incident at Itma Waterfall. Several similar accidents have been reported in the past, raising repeated questions over safety arrangements at the tourist spot. Local residents claimed that warning boards, barricading, and adequate security personnel are often missing at dangerous points, which leads to such tragedies.

The administration has deployed teams at the spot and the search operation is continuing. Family members of the missing youth are in a state of shock and are waiting anxiously for any update.