Archive · 9 Aug 2026
Three Kanwariyas Missing After Being Swept Away in Ganga
Some people in India go on a special trip called the Kanwar Yatra to collect holy water from the Ganga river.
Last weekend, three of these people, called kanwariyas, went into the river to take a bath.
The water was moving very fast, and the strong current swept them away.
One person went missing near a bridge called Dhanush Pul at Har Ki Pauri.
Two more went missing that same evening at a place called Namami Gange Ghat.
A police officer was able to pull one person out of the water safely, but the other two could not be found.
Police and rescue teams are searching with boats to find them.
Two of the missing people have been named: Pankaj Singh, who is 20 years old, and Anand Kashyap, who is 22.
Police keep telling people not to bathe where the water is dangerous.
They ask everyone to stay in safe areas so nobody gets hurt.
Three kanwariyas went missing in the Ganga at Haridwar after being swept away by strong currents in two separate incidents over two days.
The first incident occurred near Dhanush Pul bridge at Har Ki Pauri, where a kanwariya bathing in the Ganga disappeared within moments.
The second incident, late Saturday evening at Namami Gange Ghat, left two kanwariyas missing even as police rescued one of them.
The missing were identified as Pankaj Singh (20) of Moradabad and Anand Kashyap (22) of Bulandshahr, both from Uttar Pradesh.
Police and rescue teams are searching with boats while officials repeat appeals to bathe only at safe ghats and avoid restricted areas.
- Who
- Three kanwariyas, religious pilgrims who came to fetch Ganga water; two were identified as Pankaj Singh (20) of Moradabad and Anand Kashyap (22) of Bulandshahr, both from Uttar Pradesh. One kanwariya was rescued by police.
- What
- The kanwariyas went missing after being swept away by the strong current of the Ganga river while bathing, in two separate incidents.
- When
- Over the two days leading up to Sunday, August 9, including late Saturday evening.
- Where
- In the Ganga river at Haridwar, Uttarakhand — near Dhanush Pul bridge at Har Ki Pauri and at Namami Gange Ghat.
- Why
- They bathed in areas with strong currents and restricted places despite administration appeals to avoid them, and the powerful river flow swept them away.
- Location
- Haridwar, Uttarakhand
- River
- Ganga
- Missing
- 3 kanwariyas
- Rescued
- 1 kanwariya
- Incident spots
- Dhanush Pul (Har Ki Pauri) and Namami Gange Ghat
- Identified missing
- Pankaj Singh (20, Moradabad) and Anand Kashyap (22, Bulandshahr)
- Cause
- Strong river currents
- Police appeal
- Bathe only at safe ghats; avoid restricted areas