Festive outing ends in tragedy after two Guwahati youths drown in Meghalaya waterfall, bodies recovered

The festive spirit of Dol Utsav was overshadowed by tragedy on Tuesday, March 3, after two young men from Guwahati drowned at a waterfall along the Assam-Meghalaya border, turning what was meant to be a day of celebration into one of grief for their families and friends.

The incident occurred at the Ganapati Waterfalls in Meghalaya, located near the inter-state border with Assam. According to preliminary reports, a group of five friends from Guwahati had set out on a short trip and halted at the popular waterfall spot to spend time together during the holiday.

All five reportedly entered the water to bathe. After some time, however, two of them were found missing. Alarmed by their sudden disappearance, the remaining friends launched an immediate search but were unable to locate them, prompting them to alert the authorities.

Local police were informed without delay, following which search and rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed to the site. Personnel from both Meghalaya Police and Assam Police coordinated efforts in a joint rescue operation.

After an intensive search operation, the bodies of the two youths were recovered from between rocks in the water, officials said.

The deceased have been identified as Jayrani Wari and Wenar Bodo, residents of the Kharghuli area in Guwahati. The Meghalaya Police shifted the bodies to a hospital in Nongpoh for post-mortem examination.