The four Kanwariyas , aged 16 to 18, had travelled to Haridwar to collect holy Ganga water. Police have renewed safety warnings for Kanwar yatra after the fatal accident near Jatwara Bridge.
BY PC Bureau
July 31, 2027: A rescue attempt turned into a heartbreaking tragedy during the Kanwar Yatra on Thursday when four teenage devotees from Chandigarh drowned in the Ganga Canal near Jatwara Bridge in Haridwar while trying to save one another. The victims, all aged between 16 and 18, had travelled to Uttarakhand to collect holy Ganga water for the annual pilgrimage.
According to police, the group was bathing in the canal after collecting Ganga water when one of the teenagers suddenly slipped into a deep pit hidden beneath the water. Without hesitation, three of his friends jumped in to rescue him. However, they too became trapped in the deep depression on the canal bed and were swept under, disappearing within moments.
The incident triggered panic among fellow pilgrims and bystanders, who alerted the authorities. Rescue teams comprising the local police, water police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rushed to the spot and launched an intensive search operation. All four teenagers were eventually pulled out, but they had already died.
Police said recent silt accumulation in parts of the canal had reduced the visible water level, making it appear shallow. The submerged pit, however, remained dangerously deep, leading the youths to misjudge the risk.
Haridwar City Superintendent of Police Abhay Singh said the bodies had been recovered and sent to the district hospital for post-mortem examination. Their families in Chandigarh have been informed.
A member of the same Kanwar group, who survived the incident, recounted the sequence of events at the hospital. According to him, around 20 devotees from Chandigarh had completed the ritual of filling their vessels with Ganga water and had started their return journey. However, some members of the group became separated near Jatwara Bridge, where a few decided to take a bath in the canal.
“One of the boys suddenly slipped into deep water. Three others immediately jumped in to save him, but they also got trapped in the muddy pit beneath the canal. I managed to pull one companion towards the bank, but I couldn’t save my own brother,” he said, describing the desperate moments before rescue teams arrived.
SP Singh said emergency personnel reached the site as soon as the distress call was received, but the four teenagers could not be revived despite swift rescue efforts.
#BREAKING Tragedy in Haridwar: 4 Kanwarias Drown
Four teenage Kanwarias from Chandigarh tragically drowned in the Ganges Canal near Jatwara Bridge while trying to save a friend. Rescue teams recovered all bodies.#Haridwar #Tragedy #KanwarYatra
@uttarakhandpolice @haridwarpolice pic.twitter.com/S06Q6EfcCV
— jarvis ☠️ (@Vishii14) July 31, 2026
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Following the tragedy, police once again urged Kanwar pilgrims to avoid bathing in canals or unguarded stretches of the Ganga and to use only designated bathing ghats where safety personnel are deployed.
The annual Kanwar Mela, which began on July 30, is one of India’s largest religious gatherings, with authorities expecting more than four crore devotees to visit Haridwar this year. Thousands of police personnel, water police, SDRF and NDRF teams have been stationed across the city to manage crowds and respond to emergencies.
Officials noted that despite repeated warnings and the presence of rescue personnel at major ghats, accidents continue to occur as some devotees venture into prohibited or unsafe stretches of the river and canal system.
The latest tragedy has once again highlighted the dangers posed by hidden underwater pits and strong currents, prompting renewed appeals from authorities for pilgrims to strictly follow safety advisories during the Kanwar Yatra.
