NDRF Team Rescues Drowning Tourist from Ganga at Varanasi’s Dandi Ghat

VARANASI — A 20-year-old tourist from Bihar was pulled alive from the strong currents of the Ganga river on Thursday morning, thanks to a swift, life-saving intervention by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at Dandi Ghat.

The youth, identified as Rishuraj, a resident of Nalanda district in Bihar, had traveled to the spiritual capital for a visit. The incident occurred during the morning hours when he ventured into the river to take a traditional holy bath.

Swept Away by Sudden Deep Currents

According to eyewitnesses on the steps of Dandi Ghat, Rishuraj was bathing near the edge when he misjudged the riverbed's topography. Losing his footing, he was rapidly pulled into deeper water by the underlying river currents. As he began to submerge and struggle, he cried out for help.

Bystanders immediately raised an alarm, alerting an NDRF water rescue team that was stationed nearby. Because Varanasi’s ghats experience immense footfall, the disaster response unit maintains active, round-the-clock boat patrols and pickets at high-risk points along the river crescent.

Split-Second Response Saves Life

Without losing a single moment, a highly trained deep-water rescuer from the 11th Battalion NDRF dove into the swollen river. Navigating the currents, the swimmer reached the panicking youth, stabilized him using standard water-rescue holds, and safely brought him back to the safety of the stone embankments.

Rishuraj was administered immediate first aid on the riverbank. Officials confirmed that he did not sustain serious injuries and is now out of danger.

Manoj Kumar Sharma, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the 11th Battalion NDRF, commended the patrolling team's alertness. He emphasized that during such critical water emergencies, a delay of even a minute can lead to a tragic outcome.