Four Drown in Check Dam in Jharkhand's Seraikela; Over 40 Drownings in Three Months

Seraikela (Jharkhand) — Four young men tragically drowned while bathing in a check dam in Dalaikala village of Seraikela-Kharsawan district on Saturday, officials confirmed.

The deceased have been identified as Gaurav Mandal, Harivas Das, Sunil Sahu, and Manoj Sahu — all residents of Dalaikala.

According to villagers, six youths had gone to bathe at the dam around noon. While two remained onshore, four entered the water. Eyewitnesses say the group hit sharp rocks beneath the water surface, rendering them unconscious. Lacking safety infrastructure such as barriers or ropes, the unconscious youths began to drown.

Despite quick action by villagers and authorities, the four could not be saved. Their bodies were later retrieved and sent for autopsy. The incident has left the village in deep mourning.

Many check dams in Jharkhand, including this one, lack basic safety features — no lifeguards, fencing, or warning signs. This incident follows several similar tragedies in the state. On June 8, two engineering students from Jamshedpur also drowned while bathing in the Kharkai River.

In the past three months alone, more than 40 people in Jharkhand have died from drowning in check dams, rivers, waterfalls, and ponds, mostly while picnicking or swimming in unsafe locations.

Authorities claim efforts are underway to identify high-risk water bodies and implement safety measures, but locals remain unconvinced due to repeated unfulfilled promises in the past.

With inputs from IANS