Father rescued, son missing after swept away in river in northern India
by Aditi VermaIn a tragic incident in northern India’s Uttarakhand two pilgrims, a father and son from Malaysia, were swept away by the river’s strong currents. While the father was successfully rescued, the search for the son continues.
The incident took place near Gandhi Ghat, located close to Badrinath Dham in Chamoli district on September 24.
Visuals showed the rescue team, equipped with ropes and safety gear, acted swiftly. They carefully lowered ropes to the father, who was clinging to a slippery rock, trying to hold on against the raging waters. Using the ropes, the team worked in coordination, sending him out of the river area toward a safe position. His body trembled from exhaustion and cold, but the rescue team remained focused. With the combined strength of the team and safety equipment, they managed to lift the father to a higher, secure spot on the riverbank. Here, they stabilized him, ensuring he was out of immediate danger, while the search for his son continued downstream.
Vinit Vaibhav, SDRF Constable, Uttarakhand informed NewsLions that two individuals were swept away in the river near Gandhi Ghat, located close to Badrinath Dham. Responding swiftly, SDRF teams and other forces reached the site and rescued one of the individuals, Suresh Chandra, approximately 200 meters downstream.
Suresh Chandra, a resident of Malaysia, was traveling with his family on a pilgrimage to India. However, his son, Dr. Balraj Sethi, aged 40, also from Malaysia, remains missing after being carried away by the river’s strong currents. The two had arrived in India on September 14, 2024, with four other family members, and had completed their Char Dham Yatra, arriving at Badrinath Dham on the day of the incident.
Rescued individual Suresh Chandra is currently undergoing treatment at Vivekananda Hospital, while SDRF rescue teams continue their search efforts for Dr. Balraj Sethi. The incident has caused distress among the family and local authorities, working tirelessly to locate the missing son.
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