5 feared drowned in Yamunanagar canal, rescue ops on

30 armed men threatened us, we were forced to jump into river to save our lives: Survivor

YAMUNANAGAR: Five men are feared drowned in the Western Jamuna Canal in Buria region of Yamunanagar on Sunday, after a group of 10 men were allegedly threatened and forced by an anti-group to jump into the river to save their lives. Only five managed to resurface.

Identification of the men who have reportedly drowned has not been verified by the police. All of them had gone to the river for swimming when a group of 30 armed men arrived to allegedly take revenge over some old enmity, one of the survivors Sahil said.

Another survivor Shoukeen said they were on the river bank when the men arrived and all of them had to jump into the river.

“Most of us don’t know how to swim. Five of us managed to save our lives. Our friends were shouting for help but the armed men pelted stones at them and left when they were sure that all have drowned. One of our friends, who survived, was attacked with sticks and is badly injured. Shammi and Bhartu had come to kill Allauddin, who has drowned,” he told the media. Ibrahim, a relative of Allauddin, said, “The attack comes after Allauddin’s father Imtiaz was murdered in March 2020. Later, my son Shahrukh was also attacked.”

DSP (Yamunanagar-1) Subhash Chand said, “The attackers were reportedly out on bail and had some enmity with these people over a 2020 case. A team of divers are on rescue operation and we have asked the irrigation department to reduce the water levels.” Sub-inspector Lajja Ram, station in-charge, Buria police station said details are being verified and a case will be registered accordingly.

Our friends were shouting for help but the armed men hurled stones at them and left when they were sure that all had drowned. SHOUKEEN, a survivor