Jabalpur, Aug 26 (IANS) A 34‑year‑old man and his 10‑year‑old son from Maharashtra were swept away by the strong current of the Narmada River while bathing at Bhadpura Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district on Wednesday evening, police said.

The incident occurred around 6 pm near Bhadpura Ashram when the boy, identified as Lucky Patil, slipped and fell into deep water while playing near the river.

Seeing his son being swept away, his father Ganesh Patil jumped into the river to rescue him. However, the strong current carried both father and son into deeper waters.

Bystanders raised an alarm and tried to rescue them but could not reach the duo because of the river’s depth and the strong current.

Police and local administration teams reached the spot after receiving information and launched a search operation with the help of local divers.

“Ganesh Patil, a farmer from Maharashtra, had come to Bhadpura Ashram along with around 15 members of three families on Tuesday. On Wednesday evening, some children were playing near the Narmada when Lucky slipped and fell into the river. His father jumped in to save him, but the current swept away both,” Chargawan police station in‑charge Sarojini Choukse said.

An SDRF team later joined the rescue operation and searched the river for a considerable time but could not locate the father and son. The search was hampered by the strong current and darkness, following which it was temporarily suspended, police said.

A large crowd gathered at the ghat after the incident, while police and administration officials remained at the site coordinating rescue efforts.

The family had travelled from Maharashtra to visit the ashram and had arrived in the area on Tuesday, police added.

The search for the missing father and son will resume once conditions permit, officials said.

–IANS

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