Hiralal Sarkar, determined and distraught, continues his relentless search for his eight-year-old son Abhinash, who fell into a drain amidst flooded conditions in Guwahati three days ago. Despite using an iron rod to scour the sewage, all Hiralal has recovered are his son’s sandals. Desperate for assistance, he has handed these over to the police for verification, urging governmental intervention in the search efforts.
Abhinash slipped from his father’s scooter during heavy rains on Thursday evening, prompting Hiralal to dive into the drain after glimpsing his son’s hand but failing to rescue him. Since then, Hiralal has vowed to find his son, spending sleepless nights combing through debris and mud in search of any sign.
Authorities have mobilized a large-scale search operation involving sniffer dogs, super suckers, and excavators to aid in locating Abhinash. Concrete slabs covering parts of the drain downstream are being lifted, and Chief Minister Himanta Sarma has instructed rescue teams to intensify their efforts after meeting with Hiralal and his wife.
In addition to Abhinash’s disappearance, devastating floods in Assam have claimed six lives within the last 24 hours, with widespread inundation affecting over 2.3 million residents. Areas like Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, and Rukminigaon in Guwahati remain submerged, and the Brahmaputra River is flowing dangerously high at various points.
This year alone, floods in Assam have resulted in 58 fatalities, underscoring the ongoing humanitarian and environmental challenges faced by the region.
