Gonda: A 30-year-old man, Puttan Shukla, resident of Pipra Padum village, reportedly drowned while bathing in the Tedi River at Chandwatpur Ghat in Gonda’s Dehat Kotwali area. Police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) launched a rescue operation following the incident. The victim’s family was left devastated by the tragedy.
The incident has renewed concerns over the absence of a bridge at the ghat. According to local accounts, several people have lost their lives at the site over the past decade, with residents continuing to face difficulties crossing the river.
Class 9 student Anshuman Tiwari said he has had to remove his clothes and shoes, carry them on his head and cross the river to reach school for the past 15 days.
Samajwadi Party leader and former Gonda Sadar candidate Suraj Singh visited the victim’s family and criticised the state government over the delay in constructing a bridge. He said the road from Katra to Gonda was built before 2017 during the Samajwadi Party government, but a bridge at Chandwatpur Ghat remained unbuilt.
Singh alleged that the lack of a bridge had contributed to repeated tragedies and announced that its construction would be a priority if the Samajwadi Party returned to power. His remarks reflected the opposition party’s criticism of the government over the long-pending demand.
