Man his friend drown while bathing in Rapti river in UP's Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur (UP), May 15 (PTI) A 22-year-old man and his friend drowned while bathing in the Rapti river in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, police said on Thursday.
    The incident took place near Majhgawan village in the Belipar area on Wednesday when Ritesh Prajapati and 18-year-old Armaan -- residents of Kanail village -- went to the river along with four friends and were swept away by the strong current, they said.
    Their bodies were recovered on Thursday morning after an extensive search operation carried out by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), officials said.
    The deaths plunged the village into mourning, with family members breaking down upon seeing the bodies, police said.
    Locals claimed that drowning incidents occur in the area every year, but there are no warning signs or safety measures at the site.
    SDRF in-charge Ajay Singh said strong currents in the river had hampered the rescue operation.
    Village head Sudhir Nishad demanded that the site be declared a "danger zone" and urged the administration to install warning boards and ban swimming in the area.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)