NONGPOH, June 20: In a tragic incident, a nine-year-old boy lost his life after drowning in Umtrew river on Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred at Amtola village, which lies on Assam’s side of the Umtrew river bordering Ri-Bhoi.
According to eyewitnesses, the boy, identified as Asabul Ali, was playing with his sisters and friends near the river. In a moment of misstep, Asabul slipped and fell into the river, unable to save himself.
Although fishermen were present on the opposite side of the river, their attempts to rescue the boy proved unsuccessful.
Alerted by the distressing turn of events, Asabul’s younger sister rushed home to inform their family, who immediately rushed to the scene. Unfortunately, their desperate efforts to save him were in vain, arriving too late to prevent the tragic outcome.
Following the incident, the Assam Police were notified and summoned for assistance. Their Emergency and Rescue Team swiftly responded to the call, endeavouring to rescue the boy from the perilous waters. However, despite their determined efforts, they were unable to save him, as reported by one of the eyewitnesses.
It was not until around 1 pm that the Rescue Team of the Assam Police successfully recovered the lifeless body of the young boy from the Umtrew river.
Additionally, sources shared the accounts of two fishermen who witnessed the heart-wrenching incident from the other side of the river. The fishermen recounted shouting and calling for help upon realising the dire situation. They explained that there were two young girls present with the boy, all of them playing near the river, possibly seeking respite from the oppressive heat.
Tragically, due to his tender age and lack of swimming ability, the boy succumbed to the river’s depths. The formidable size of the river prevented the fishermen from undertaking a perilous attempt to rescue him.
