Four Drown in Chhattisgarh River; 13-Year-Old Gold Medallist Among Victims

Four people, including a 13-year-old national taekwondo gold medallist, died after drowning in the Renn river in Chhattisgarh's Surajpur district. The deceased include a father and son from Hajipur in Bihar and two brothers from Katihar.

The accident has left four families devastated. A home that had recently celebrated the young athlete's national success is now engulfed in mourning. Only days earlier, his victory had been a source of pride for his family and city.

The four had gone into the Renn river for a bath at the Ram Saraswatipur ghat. They went into deep water, and the incident unfolded so quickly that no one could respond in time. Moments of joy and celebration gave way to tragedy.

The victims have been identified as Vivek Singh and his son Abhijit Singh of Hajipur, and brothers Gopal Krishna and Krishna Gopal of Katihar. Their deaths have caused a wave of sorrow across Hajipur and Katihar, with families overcome by grief.

Gopal Krishna had given an outstanding performance at the national taekwondo event in Dehradun on October 4, winning gold. His achievement had filled his family and the people of Katihar with happiness. On his return, he was honoured with a warm welcome. His family hoped he would keep representing the nation and his hometown, and he himself dreamed of winning many more medals in the sport.

As soon as the incident was reported, local administration and police reached the scene. Search efforts in the river were carried out with the help of police personnel and home guard divers. After considerable effort, all four bodies were recovered.

Police have begun investigating the case. It remains unclear under what circumstances the group reached deep water and why they could not be saved. Other aspects of the incident are also being looked into.

Families rushed toward Chhattisgarh in grief after hearing the news. The deaths of four people in a single incident have plunged two states into mourning, and the death of a young sportsman whose gold medal had just brought him recognition has made the tragedy especially painful.