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.