2 youths from Meerut die after car plunges into Gangnahar canal

ROORKEE: Two youths from Meerut were killed after their car plunged into the Gangnahar canal near Manglaur on Saturday night.The victims Saurabh Sharma (23) and Ayush Sharma (21), residents of Kurali village in Meerut, were travelling from Roorkee to Meerut via the canal embankment road.

The two were neighbours and close friends.The accident occurred around 11 pm near the Mohammadpur Power House in the Narsan area, where the road has a sharp blind turn and no warning sign board. As the car negotiated the turn, it went straight off the road and fell into an escape canal about 20 feet deep.Manglaur police launched a rescue operation and retrieved the vehicle with the help of a crane. Both youths were found dead inside the car.

Though the canal had only about a foot of stagnant water, the vehicle was badly damaged due to the fall.Amarjeet Singh, inspector in charge of Manglaur police station said, "The car was likely being driven at high speed.The driver lost control at the sharp turn, causing the vehicle to plunge into the canal."Ayush, who had completed BPharma, was working with a pharmaceutical company near Roorkee and had recently quit his job. He had called Saurabh to help him transport his belongings back to Meerut, said Anil Sharma, a family member.