A four-year-old girl old was swept away in swollen Pairi river in Nahargaon Ghat area of Gariaband district on Sunday. The victim had fallen into the river along with her family members when they were trying to cross the river through a submerged bridge on a motorcycle.
Three members of the family were rescued by villagers but the girl and motorcycle could not be traced till last reports came in.
According to reports, Santosh Sahu, resident of Raipur Jogi village was returning with his family from Bhuteshwarnath temple on his motorcycle. They family had planned to go to Chura via Kochwai. The bridge on Pairi river was submerged to two feet height but the family yet tried to pass through the bridge. In the midway, Sahu lost balance of the motorcycle and they fell into the river with the motorcycle.
local villagers rescued Sahu, his wife laxmi and two-year-old daughter Kumkum. But his four-year-old daughter Bhumika and motorcycle were swept away by the strong currents. A search operation was launched by local police with the help from divers and villagers but the girl and motorbike could not be traced till last reports came in.
The atmosphere of the area has turned gloomy and the family members were in a state of shock after the incident.