Seraikela – A heartbreaking incident unfolded in Dalaikala village, Seraikela-Kharsawan district, Jharkhand, as four young villagers drowned in a check dam while bathing on Saturday.
The victims — Gaurav Mandal, Harivas Das, Sunil Sahu, and Manoj Sahu — were part of a group of six who visited the dam around midday. As four of them entered the water, they reportedly struck sharp stones hidden below the surface and lost consciousness. The absence of lifeguards, warning signs, or safety ropes made rescue nearly impossible.
The two remaining on the bank shouted for help, bringing villagers rushing to the spot. Although emergency services arrived, the lives of the four could not be saved. Their deaths have cast a pall of sorrow over the entire village.
The check dam, like many others in Jharkhand, remains unsecured despite being a known drowning hazard. This incident adds to a grim toll — over 40 drowning deaths have been recorded across the state in the past three months alone, many of them young people enjoying outings by water bodies.
Local officials say they are working to identify and secure such danger zones, but residents doubt these assurances, citing years of inaction despite recurring tragedies.
With inputs from IANS