West Bengal: 3 drown, 1 missing after being swept away by river in Bhatpara

Kolkata, Mar 4 (PTI) Three persons drowned and one was missing after being swept away by the Hooghly river when they were bathing after playing with colours on Dol in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, police said on Wednesday.

The incident happened on Tuesday afternoon at Balaram Sarkar Ghat in Ward 33 of the Bhatpara Municipality, they said.

Three bodies were recovered, while the search was continuing for one person, they added.

The deceased were identified as Saikat Nandi (32), Sourav Nandi (27), and Balaram Sarkar, all residents of Madrul Government Colony in Bhatpara.

Three men went to take a dip in the river when they reportedly lost their balance and were swept away by the strong current. A fourth person jumped into the river in an attempt to rescue them but was also carried away, police said.

A search and rescue operation was launched immediately with the help of divers. The bodies of the three victims, who were members of the same family, were recovered, they said.

Efforts are underway to trace the fourth missing person, they said.

The incident cast a pall of gloom over the locality. PTI SUS SOM