May 29, 2026 Chhattisgarh | A young man and woman from Raipur, who had gone for a picnic at the Kukda Pickup Weir on the Pairi River in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district, drowned. The accident occurred when the woman went into deep water while bathing, and the young man who jumped in to rescue her also drowned. The bodies of both were recovered after an extensive search.
According to reports, four friends from Raipur’s Shankar Nagar area had visited Gariaband on Sunday afternoon. They had lunch near the Kookda Pickup Weir, after which they went to bathe in the check dam. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Simpy Saxena suddenly went into deep water and began drowning. 30-year-old Piyush Mandal jumped into the water to rescue her, but he too became trapped. Both drowned in the water within seconds.
After the incident, the other two friends who were present there raised an alarm and informed the police along with the local people. Upon receiving the information, the Panduka police reached the spot. With the help of local divers, after a rescue operation that lasted for about an hour, the bodies of both were taken out. SDOP Nisha Sinha said that a case has been registered in the Panduka police station in this matter. The family members have been informed. The bodies will be handed over to the family members after the post-mortem. The police is investigating the matter. There is an atmosphere of mourning in the area after the incident.
Accidents on the rise at picnic spots
During the summer and holiday season, the number of people picnicking at dams, reservoirs, and riverbanks is steadily increasing. However, ignoring safety rules has often proven fatal. The administration and police are constantly urging people to stay alert and avoid venturing into deep water.
