Despite over 36 hours have passed since Abida Manzoor, daughter of Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Shahid Manzoor, was swept away in Ganga, near lakshman Jhula, Rishikesh, police teams have failed to trace her. Eight Army divers, seven State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) divers, six divers from Muzaffarnagar (UP), 32 water policemen, 15 civil police and several teams from all three neighbouring districts- Haridwar, Dehradun and Tehri- have been pressed into operation by Monday evening, said Tehri sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) DP Singh while talking to The Pioneer.
The search operation has been continuing in full swing but she is yet to be traced, he added. She is doing her medical internship after finishing her MBBS course from Subharti Medical College in Meerut.
She was part of a group consisting of 10 students which arrived for a holiday camp at picturesque Phool Chatti. The incident happened at 9 am on Sunday. According to eye-witnesses, Aabida slipped in the river during a photo session and disappeared.
The father of Aabida along with Meerut IG and Uttarakhand senior administrative and police officers rushed immediately on being informed of the incident.
However, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat talked to the UP Minister Manzoor over phone and assured the worried father that the State Government is taking all possible steps to trace Aabida from the river.
Rawat said that the district administrative officers have been directed to intensify search operations in the river. In addition, chief secretary has been directed to talk to Navy and Army officers immediately. Divers from these two wings should be brought to conduct the search, the Chief Minister said.
He further said his Government is standing by the worried family in this hour of trial. Calling it unfortunate, he said the district administration should put up warning placards at sensitive areas along the rivers in the state.
Aabida was swept away by the current when she was playing in the river along with her friends at Phool Chatti Ashram located a few kilometers from Rishikesh. There were six boys and four girls in the group. During photo session, two other students were also swept away. However, the rafting guide managed to rescue them while Aabida was untraced, it is learnt.