Arunachal: Search underway for two students missing while bathing in river

A multi-agency search and rescue operation is underway in Arunachal Pradesh's Tirap district to trace two school students who went missing after entering the swollen Chatjo River, officials said on Monday, July 13.

The incident occurred on Saturday when three boys, all students of a school in Deomali, went to the river to bathe after reportedly being allowed to leave their hostel for haircuts, Deomali Assistant Commissioner Indira T. Riba said.

The river was flowing in spate following heavy monsoon rains that have lashed the region over the past week.

While the body of one of the boys, identified as 12-year-old Paupwang Aana, was recovered by local residents on the day of the incident, two others, Phosam Wangno (12) and Ngowang Kakho (13)—remain missing.

A search operation involving personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, district administration and local residents was carried out on Sunday but failed to locate the missing boys due to strong river currents.

The search resumed on Monday with additional teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Reserve Battalion (IRBn), Assam Rifles, police, SDRF and community volunteers combing the downstream stretches of the Chatjo River.

Following the incident, the Tirap district administration issued an advisory urging people, particularly children and youths, to avoid venturing into rivers and other water bodies as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued heavy rainfall in the district.

Authorities said the search operation will continue until the two missing students are traced.