A 21-year-old youth from Punjab was drowned while taking a bath in a stream at Janala in Kasol of the Manikaran valley in Kullu district on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Anshtej, a resident of Kapurthala, Punjab. According to officials, Anshtej, along with his friends, had entered the stream to have a bath but was drowned. The Manikaran police retrieved the body and after a postmortem examination, handed it over to the bereaved family members. Kullu Additional SP Sanjeev Chauhan said that the police had registered a case and the body had been handed over to the bereaved family. He appealed to tourists to stay away from rivers, streams and areas with strong water currents, particularly during the rainy season. Chauhan said, “During the monsoon season, rivers and streams are often swollen and water currents are extremely dangerous. A fatal mishap can occur at any time.”
Though the administration and the police regularly issue warnings and advisories, some tourists continue to ignore safety guidelines and go close to the Beas and its tributaries for taking photographs and videography. Continuous rainfall has significantly increased the water level of the Beas.
Meanwhile. Manali DSP KD Sharma said that nine persons were challaned on Thursday under the HP Police Act for going too close to the Beas. He added that similar strict action would be taken against those found flouting safety rules.
