Four people died and one was rescued after five separate incidents involving the Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad during the period between Diwali and Bhai Dooj, according to Gujarat Samachar. Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services’ river rescue team recovered four bodies and moved the surviving man to hospital for treatment.
The incidents were reported near the Ellis Bridge, Atal Bridge and Dadhichi Bridge areas, as well as near the riverfront’s Patang Hotel. Police have begun identifying the deceased and tracing their families in cases where no identity documents were found.
In the first incident, reported on the morning of Diwali, a bag, mobile phone, footwear and motorcycle keys were found between Ellis Bridge and Atal Bridge. After receiving information from local residents, the fire department’s river rescue team began a search operation. The body of a young man identified as Fenil was recovered within about an hour and handed over to police for further investigation.
Later on Diwali, an unidentified man’s body was seen floating in the river near Patang Hotel. A riverfront security guard alerted the police and fire department, after which the rescue team recovered the body. No identification document or personal belongings were found on the deceased. Police sent the body for post-mortem examination and began searching for his relatives.
On the afternoon of the second day of Diwali, another person jumped into the river near Dadhichi Bridge. The river rescue team reached the location quickly and pulled him out alive. He was identified as Pravin Kamble and was taken to the Civil Hospital by a 108 ambulance for treatment.
Later that night, a security guard alerted the fire department after seeing another person jump into the river. The rescue team conducted a search operation during the night and recovered the body of a man identified as Sajid Pathan. The body was handed over to police and sent for post-mortem procedures.
A fifth body was found near Ellis Bridge on the morning of Bhai Dooj after a security guard noticed it floating in the river. The rescue team recovered the body, but no identification document was found. Police reported that the word “Paresh” was written in English on the deceased’s hand and began efforts to establish his identity and locate his family.
The incidents have placed renewed attention on the safety challenges around Ahmedabad’s riverfront bridges and publicly accessible river edges during periods of increased movement and festivities. The available report does not specify whether all the locations had the same level of physical access control, surveillance or emergency safety infrastructure.
Police have initiated legal procedures and post-mortem examinations in the fatal cases. Identification of the two deceased people whose documents were not found remains part of the ongoing investigation, while the rescued survivor is receiving treatment at Civil Hospital.
