Along with local police, SDRF and water police continued their operation to trace three SDRF personnel who are feared to have been swept away in Ganga when the car they were in tumbled into Ganga at Pant Village under Devprayag block of Tehri district. One SDRF personal had died and another was injured who is now out of danger in the accident that occurred on Friday night.
Police sources said that the team members are now waiting for the bodies to come afloat after they decompose. However it might take six or seven days, police said. Hament Singh (26), resident of Sijar, Jakhan Devi, Almora; Puran Singh, resident of Ranikhet, Almora and Virendra Singh, resident of Rawal Sera, Dwarghat, Almora are feared to have drowned. Several teams from SDRF, local Tehri police and water police have been formed and pressed into service to recover the bodies. Some teams have also been pressed into duty at Muni ki Reti area, said Superintendent of Police Tehri, Barinderjit Singh on Monday.
It should be mentioned here that five SDRF personnel who were reported to be going to Jolly Grant, SDRF headquarters from Almora after spending their Holi leaves met an accident, leading to the death of one SDRF personal Akshay Kumar (24), resident of Khagmara Kot, Almora. Another was injured while three others were feared to have been swept away in Ganga. The accident occurred at around 9 pm nearly two kilometers away from Devprayag block on Badrinath Highway Tilanga crossing in Tehri district. Police officer said that the car driver had lost control while negotiating a sharp bend at Tilanga crossing, resulting in the car plunge in Ganga. Akshay Kumar died on the spot. The car was lifted from Ganga on Saturday.