Picnic turns tragic: Eight men drown in Rajasthan's Banas river

Rajasthan news: Eight men drowned in Rajasthan's Banas river in the Tonk district on Tuesday, police said. They had come from Jaipur for a picnic.

Three others were rescued and their condition is stable, Superintendent of Police, Tonk, Vikas Sangwan told PTI.

The incident happened after a group of 11 men aged between 25 and 30 years had entered the river for taking a bath when they slipped into deep water. They were taken out and rushed to a hospital where the doctors declared them dead.

The deceased have been identified as Naushad (35), Kasim (26), Rizwan (26), Nawab Khan (28), Sajid (20), Nakku (30), Ballu and Farhan, who were residents of Hasanpura, Ghat Gate, Panipech and Ramganj areas of Jaipur, the SP told news agency PTI.

Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma offers condolences

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma condoled the deaths, stating that the news was extremely “sad and painful.”

“The news of the deaths due to drowning in the Banas river located in Tonk district is extremely sad and painful. As soon as the information about the incident was received, the district administration officials were instructed to conduct rescue and relief operations immediately,” the CM posted on X.

Governor Haribhau Bagade, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, leader of opposition Tikaram Jully and other leaders also expressed condolences over the deaths in the incident.

Men declared dead at hospital

As per initial investigations, some men went deeper into the water while taking bath and started drowning. Others who tried to rescue them, also got drowned.

Public Health Engineering Department Minister Kanhaiyalal and other local public representatives reached the Tonk district hospital and enquired about the health of those undergoing treatment, reported PTI.