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Four people, including a minor, drowned while picnicking at the confluence of the Sone and Banas rivers in Sikarganj village of Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district, police said.
All four bodies were recovered following a rescue operation that continued for nearly two days. The incident occurred on Monday and upon receiving the information, the administration began the rescue operation. One body was recovered on the first day, while the remaining three were traced and retrieved on Tuesday afternoon. Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP), Churhat, Ravi Prakash Kaul told ANI, "Four people, which include three women and one man had gone for a picnic at the confluence of the Sone River and Banas River in Sikarganj village under Rampur police station. Due to a sudden rise in the river's water level, they drowned in deep water. Among the deceased, three were from Maihar district and one from Rajgarh district. The rescue operation began from Monday to till 3 PM on Tuesday. All four dead bodies have been retrieved." Those who died were identified as Jyoti Sen (24), Neelu Baish (22) and a minor girl, residents of Maihar district, while one Lakhan Kevat (26), a resident of Rajgarh district. Jyoti's body was recovered on Monday, while the remaining three were found on Tuesday. When questioned regarding safety arrangements at the site, where similar incidents have been reported in the past, the officer said adequate security measures were deployed during large gatherings and fairs, along with placement of SDRF and Home Guard teams. "The administration had also issued public announcements after water was released from the Bansagar Dam but the incident may have occurred due to negligence on the part of the visitors, though the exact circumstances are yet to be determined," the officer said. An investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the incident, he added. (ANI)
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