Vehicle Accident in Rishikesh: SDRF Recovers Body of Female Forest Officer from Shakti Canal

In a tragic incident near the Chilla powerhouse in Uttarakhand’s Laxman Jhula police station area, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) successfully recovered the body of the missing woman officer and wildlife warden (SDO) on Thursday. The recovery operation, initiated early in the morning, was carried out near Chilla powerhouse following the orders of Shri Manikant Mishra, Commandant SDRF.

Inspector Kavindra Sajwan, who was present at the site, confirmed the identification of the recovered body as that of the female officer who had gone missing during the accident that took place on Monday. SDRF handed over the retrieved body to the district police for further procedures.

The search operation, which began on Monday, was temporarily halted at night due to darkness. It resumed on Tuesday and ultimately proved successful on Thursday with the retrieval of the missing officer’s body. State-of-the-art equipment, including sonar and underwater drones, were utilized in the intensive search conducted by SDRF. Deep divers employed scuba diving techniques to explore the depths of the Shakti canal.

To facilitate the recovery mission, the water level of the Chila Shakti Canal was lowered on Thursday. The combined efforts of deep divers, rafts, motor boats, and advanced equipment contributed to the successful retrieval of the body.

The tragic incident occurred on Monday when a forest department vehicle, carrying ten individuals, met with an accident between Rishikesh and Chilla. The accident resulted from a technical fault during the speed trial of the vehicle, leading to four immediate casualties and five injuries. The missing woman officer had fallen into the canal during the mishap.

The SDRF’s relentless efforts, spanning several days and employing advanced search techniques, culminated in the recovery of the missing officer’s body, providing closure to the tragic episode. The district authorities are expected to conduct further investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident.