In a heart-wrenching turn during Basant Panchami celebrations, a young man named Vikas has been missing since slipping into the Yamuna River at the Delhi-Noida border. The accident happened Saturday evening amid the spirited Saraswati idol immersion, drawing massive rescue involvement.
Around 7 PM, Vikas joined family for the traditional foot procession to the river. Eyewitnesses saw him tumble from the bank into the churning waters between 8:00-8:15 PM, vanishing quickly. Panic ensued as crowds alerted authorities.
Response was lightning-fast: UP Police coordinated with Delhi forces, summoning NDRF by 8:30 PM. Fire services, SDRF, and local divers from Delhi Boat Club formed a robust task force. Operations suspended overnight but surged back Sunday morning.
Harish Kumar from the Boat Club detailed the relentless dives since dawn, yet the river yields no clues. East Delhi DM Amol Srivastava briefed media on the sequence, stressing immediate action post-alert.
Vikas’s brother pleaded for perseverance: ‘We’ve been here since the immersion started. He slipped during the dip – please find him.’ The Yamuna’s treacherous flow, bordering Delhi and UP, amplifies dangers during such events.
As boats patrol and drones scan, officials confront the harsh reality of past similar losses. Public advisories urge vigilance: avoid slippery edges, use safety equipment, and heed expert guidance for immersions. The ongoing saga grips the community, blending faith with fervent hope for Vikas’s safe return.