3 girls drown during idol immersion in Betul pond:SDRF rescues 2, search on for missing minor

Three girls drowned in a pond during an idol immersion in Multai, Betul, on Friday afternoon. Two of them were rescued, while a 12-year-old girl is still missing. How the accident happened The incident took place in Sonoli village around 12 pm. Villagers had gathered at the pond for the immersion of goddess idols. Three girls – Lakshmi (12), Muskan (18), and Monika Marathi (11) – went into the pond to bathe. They moved into deep water and began to drown. Rescue efforts Hearing their cries, people nearby rushed to help. Muskan and Monika were pulled out safely. However, Lakshmi went under and could not be found. The SDRF team is now searching the pond for her. Lack of safety arrangements Officials, including Tehsildar Sanjay Baria and Station In-charge Devkaran Daheria, reached the spot with their staff soon after the incident. Villagers said the pond is very deep and has no safety measures along its banks. Despite a large crowd being present for the immersion, the accident happened too quickly for anyone to act in time. Lakshmi’s family Lakshmi is a 10th class student. Her father, Rajendra Umarta, works in a hotel in Multai. He said his daughter had gone to the pond with her friends for the immersion. “I was at home. Later, I was told that she went into the pond to bathe with two other girls. They were saved, but my daughter is missing,” he said.