Two drown during idol immersion in Agra, CM Yogi expresses grief

Fri Oct 03 05:27:29 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the text provided:

**Tragedy Strikes Durga Puja Immersion in Agra: Two Dead, Six Missing**

**Agra, Uttar Pradesh – October 3, 2025** – Celebrations turned to sorrow in Agra district as two individuals drowned and six remain missing following an idol immersion in the Utangan river on Thursday, October 2nd, marking the conclusion of the Durga Puja festival.

The incident occurred in the Khairagarh area when a group of nine people reportedly slipped into deep water during the immersion ceremony. Local residents were able to rescue one individual. The bodies of Gagan, 26, and Ompal, 32, were recovered later.

District Magistrate Arvind Mallappa Bangari confirmed the grim details and stated that a search operation is underway involving local divers, police, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to locate the six missing individuals. Bangari also noted that while the administration had designated a specific immersion site, the group chose to immerse the idol at another location in the river.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and offered prayers for strength in their time of grief. An official statement released in Lucknow conveyed the Chief Minister’s sorrow over the tragic incident.

The immersion took place against the backdrop of the Durga Puja festival, where idols of Goddess Durga are traditionally immersed in rivers, as seen here being done in the Yamuna river during the Durga Puja festival, at Dussehra Ghat behind the Taj Mahal in Agra, on October 2, 2025.

**Original Text Summary:**

The text is a news report from *The Hindu* regarding a tragic incident in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, where two people drowned and six went missing during a Durga Puja idol immersion in the Utangan river. The incident occurred when a group slipped into deep water despite a designated immersion site being available. Search efforts are underway, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed condolences.

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