Third Body Recovered as Chhath Turns Tragic in Seraikela
Key Points:
- Bodies of Aryan, Sanjay, and Prateek Yadav recovered from Swarnarekha River
- Rescue teams faced strong current during search operation
- Area was declared a danger zone by administration earlier
SERAIKELA – The body of Prateek Yadav, the third victim of the Chandil drowning tragedy, was found on Tuesday by local divers after an extensive search in the Swarnarekha River.
According to officials, Prateek’s body was recovered from Shaharbeda Ghat, bringing an end to the two-day search. Meanwhile, grief gripped the family as his remains were taken for post-mortem examination.
The tragedy occurred on Monday evening during Chhath Puja when 11-year-old Aryan Yadav slipped into deep waters while bathing during Sandhya Arghya. His uncle Sanjay Yadav and cousin Prateek Yadav jumped in to save him.
However, despite efforts by a police constable and others present, the strong river current overwhelmed them. Soon after, Seraikela-Kharsawan Deputy Commissioner Nitish Kumar Singh and Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar Lunayat reached the spot to coordinate rescue operations with the NDRF and local divers.
By Monday night, Aryan’s body had been recovered. On Tuesday morning, the NDRF team retrieved Sanjay’s body, and by afternoon, Prateek’s body was also found.
Sources said Sanjay Yadav, a resident of Raideeh in Adityapur, had come to Mango to celebrate Chhath with his sister. The incident has plunged the entire family and local community into mourning.
Authorities confirmed that the site had been marked as a danger zone earlier. However, devotees still gathered there for rituals. Officials called the tragedy an unfortunate reminder of safety lapses.
Chandil SDO Vikas Kumar Rai, who supervised the rescue, expressed condolences. “This incident is deeply painful. Despite warning signs, people went to the danger zone. The administration will provide all necessary assistance,” he said.
Former Adityapur Deputy Chairman Purendra Narayan Singh also visited the site and extended sympathy to the family, urging immediate aid for the victims’ kin. He noted that the news of three deaths from one family had shaken the entire Adityapur area.
