Meerut man swept away by Ganga river current

Haridwar: A 23-year-old man from Meerut, who was swept away by the strong current of the Ganga river near Sirasu bridge in Laxman Jhula area of Rishikesh on July 5, is still missing, locals said Tuesday. The victim, identified as Sarthak, had entered the river for a bath with four friends when he lost balance and was carried away by the river current.SDRF’s deep diving team and Laxman Jhula police launched a joint search operation, but he remained missing, till late on Tuesday. Authorities, meanwhile, have urged tourists and pilgrims to avoid bathing at unsafe spots due to the river’s high water level.SDRF (local incharge) Kavindra Sajwan told TOI, “Police and SDRF divers started the search operation. However, it had to be halted due to bad weather. The operation is still underway, but because of the monsoon the river is in full spate, which is making deep diving difficult for our divers.”