Three Young Men And Two Women Drown In Narmada Canals In Kheda And Banaskantha Amid Heavy Rain In Gujarat

Ahmedabad: Amid heavy rainfall across Gujarat, two separate drowning incidents in Narmada canals are feared have claimed the lives of five people, three young men in Kheda district and two young women in Banaskantha.

In the first incident, three young men reportedly drowned in the main Narmada canal near Galteshwar in Kheda district. The victims, aged between 18 and 22, are believed to have been swept away by the strong current. Local villagers gathered at the site in large numbers as rescue operations were launched by authorities, including local divers and emergency services.

According to the village official (Talati), one of the bodies has been recovered. Two of the victims have been identified as Akshay Manilal Parmar (18) and Amit Vinubhai Parmar (22), both residents of Muvada village near Timba. Akshay’s body has been retrieved, while efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining two. The incident has cast a shadow over the village, especially as it comes during the local panchayat election season, causing widespread concern and disruption.

In a separate tragedy, the bodies of two young women were discovered in the Narmada canal near Mahajanpura, close to Tharad in Banaskantha district. The deceased have been identified as Rekhaben Majirana (23) from Khimanavas village in Vav taluka, and Aartiben Thakor (18) from Deesa.

Their bodies were found near the Mahajanpura pumping station gate, tied together with a dupatta, raising questions about the circumstances of their deaths. Upon discovery, the Tharad municipal fire brigade, led by officer Viramji Rathod, responded swiftly and recovered the bodies from the water.

Family members of the deceased were present at the scene, and the bodies have since been handed over to the Tharad police for further investigation. Authorities are continuing their inquiries into both incidents as the state grapples with rising water levels and dangerous conditions in its waterways due to the ongoing monsoon.