In a devastating incident on May 21 around 11 am, three children tragically drowned in Tripura’s River Khowai. The victims, Saptadip Nama (7) and Moutusi Das (12), had accompanied their mothers to their grandfather’s home for a social function. The next morning, their grandfather, Gopal Nama Das, went for a bath in the river, unaware of the impending tragedy.
Accompanied by their grandfather, Saptadip and Moutusi entered the river. Seeing this, two other children from the neighborhood, Babli Roy (11) and Ayan Das (6), decided to join them. Sadly, Saptadip, Moutusi, and Babli drowned while their grandfather remained unaware. Ayan Das realized the gravity of the situation and raised an alarm, attracting Officer-in-Charge Rajkumar Jamatia from Khowai Police Station.
Jamatia, along with nearby individuals, rushed to the scene upon hearing the cries for help. Despite their best efforts, only Saptadip and Babli Roy’s bodies were recovered. The search for Moutusi continued as she remained missing.
The local Fire and Emergency Service personnel, accompanied by the police, promptly arrived at the location. They successfully retrieved Moutusi’s body. Tragically, all three children were pronounced dead upon reaching Khowai District Hospital.
Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha expressed deep grief upon learning about the incident. He extended his condolences to the bereaved families and urged parents to exercise extra caution to prevent accidents, praying for strength for the families to bear the pain.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of child safety and supervision, particularly near water bodies. The community mourns the loss of these young lives and hopes their tragedy prompts increased vigilance and precautionary measures in the future.