1 drowns while taking selfie

Kolkata: In a tragic incident, a youth fell into a river while taking a selfie on his mobile phone.

The incident took place in Asansol on Wednesday morning. Police said the victim, Vivek Chandra Bangshi, along with his family members, went to Ghagarburi temple to offer puja.

When his family members were visiting in and around the temple, the victim went up to the river bank to capture a selfie in broad daylight. As he stood on a big stone on the bank of Nunia River to capture the selfie, he accidentally slipped and fell into the river water.

The victim was swept away by under currents immediately after he fell into the river. The family members of the victim rushed to the spot but failed to trace the victim. Police came to know after asking the family members that he did not how to know swim.

Some of the locals conducted a search operation in the river but failed in their attempt. The youth was a resident of Andal area in Durgapur. After being informed, police reached the spot. Local divers were brought in. They carried out a search operation in the river as well but failed to recover the body of the victim until Wednesday evening.

Many curious onlookers gathered in the area to see the rescue operation. According to the preliminary investigation, police said the victim might have accidentally fallen into the river. The investigating officers have recovered the mobile phone of the victim from the place of the incident and started a probe. They are examining the mobile phone.

Police are also probing into the irregularities behind the incident. The preliminary investigation, however, suggests that he was trying to take a selfie with the river in the background.