Two drown, six missing in Agra idol immersion, CM Yogi grieves

Two persons drowned and six others went missing during an idol immersion in the Utangan river in Agra district on Thursday (October 2). The incident occurred in Khairagarh area when nine people slipped into deep water while immersing idols of Goddess Durga during the Durga Puja festival. Locals rescued one person, but the bodies of Gagan (26) and Ompal (32) were later recovered.

District Magistrate Arvind Mallappa Bangari said the administration had designated a specific site for the immersion, but the group chose another spot. Teams of local divers, police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed for search operations. Six people remain missing.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the loss of lives. He conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for strength to bear the loss, according to an official statement from Lucknow. The search continues.