Six students, one local drown in Ganga barrage in Kanpur

A hangout at the Ganga barrage under the Kona Police Station here turned out to be a sorrowful affair for six of the nine students and a local resident who drowned in the barrage on Wednesday afternoon.

Vinay Tiwari, one of the nine students, told ANI that they were hanging out at the barrage this afternoon when one of them slipped off an algae-covered rock platform and fell into the river and in a bid to save him, five of his friends also fell into the river barrage.

The victims, all in their 20s, have been identified as Shivam Gupta, Sachin Gupta, Satyam Gupta, Sandeep Gupta, Golu Tiwari, Rohit Soni, all residents of Vinoba Nagar, and Mohammad Sadab, the local resident, who jumped into the river to save the drowned students.

Sanjeev Dikshit, Circle Officer, said five bodies had been fished out, while divers are looking for other two victims.

Mohammad Sharif, the bother of victim Mohammad Sadab, told ANI: "A group of five-six boys were taking bath in the barrage, when one of them slipped and fell into the river. Other boys and his brother ran to save the drowned boy, but they also fell into the river.