Sikkim: 14-year-old boy drowns near Rani Khola in Singtam; search team recovers body

A 14-year-old boy drowned in Singtam on March 9, prompting a search operation by police, fire personnel and local volunteers that ended in tragedy when the minor was found dead in a pond near the Rani Khola river belt.

The victim, identified as S.P. Sherpa, a resident of Shantinagar in Singtam and originally from Soreng district, was reported missing by his guardian around 7:30 pm. Police said the teenager had been untraceable since the morning hours, leading to an immediate search led by Singtam Police Station officer-in-charge Kishor Kumar Chettri along with personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services.

During the search, investigators questioned children who were playing near the Rani Khola river area. The children told police they had seen the boy swimming alone at around 2:30 pm. Acting on the information, the search team began combing the nearby water bodies and soon found a pair of slippers believed to belong to the boy near a pond adjacent to the river.

Following the lead, Sub-Assistant Kushal Chettri and local volunteers entered the water and located the boy at a depth of around 10 feet. He was immediately pulled out and rushed to the District Hospital in Singtam, where the medical officer on duty declared him brought dead.

Police have registered an Unnatural Death (UD) case and initiated necessary legal procedures. The incident has left the Shantinagar locality in shock and mourning.

Expressing condolences to the bereaved family, SHO Kishor Kumar Chettri urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and ensure that children are closely supervised near rivers, ponds and other water bodies to prevent such tragedies.