Search Operations Ongoing for Missing 24-Year-Old Swagmoni Saikia in Brahmaputra River

Guwahati: Search operations entered the second day on Saturday as rescue teams continued efforts to trace Swagmoni Saikia, a 24-year-old man who was feared drowned in the Brahmaputra river near Jalukbari’s Forest School area on Friday.Saikia, a student of North Eastern Hill University, had reportedly slipped into the river during an outing with his friend Sitabz Garg, a PhD scholar from Gauhati University. Despite immediate alerts to the Pandu Fire and Emergency Services (F&ESS), the strong currents swept Saikia away before help could arrive.On Saturday, rescue teams from Pandu and Dispur F&ESS resumed operations at dawn, deploying boats, divers, and sonar equipment to scan the riverbed and adjoining banks.

Officials said the search area had been expanded downstream, factoring in the river’s flow and depth.“We are working in coordination with multiple units. The current is strong and visibility underwater is limited, but we are committed to continuing until there is closure,” said a rescue official. The operation was suspended on Friday evening due to poor visibility and safety concerns.