Guwahati Drowning Incident Explained: Timeline of Brahmaputra Tragedy at Kharghuli

A tragic drowning incident in the Brahmaputra River near Bhakti Kutir at Kharghuli in Guwahati has left five persons feared dead, prompting an extensive, multi-day search and rescue operation by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Assam Police and Fire & Emergency Services.

The incident occurred on the morning of December 10, 2025, at around 12:37 PM, when a group of eight individuals entered the Brahmaputra River near the riverbank at Bhakti Kutir. Soon after, three of them managed to come out of the river and were immediately rushed to hospital for medical treatment. However, the remaining five persons went missing and were believed to have drowned.

Following the incident, the Pandu Fire & Emergency Services Station was alerted, and rescue agencies were mobilised to the spot. NDRF and SDRF teams were deployed without delay, securing the area and restricting civilian movement to allow rescue operations to proceed smoothly. Search efforts continued throughout the day, but by the evening of December 10, no bodies had been recovered and the identities of the missing persons had not been confirmed.

Search and rescue operations resumed early on December 11 at around 6:45 AM, with NDRF and SDRF teams conducting systematic searches using boats and divers. Despite sustained efforts throughout the day, officials confirmed that all five missing persons remained untraced. The operation continued into the following day.

On December 12, search operations again began at 6 AM, with four NDRF boats and one SDRF boat deployed in the river. Teams continued scanning the affected stretch of the Brahmaputra; however, no recovery was made by the end of the day.

On December 13, joint search operations resumed at 6 AM. After several hours of effort, the NDRF recovered one body from the river at around 5 PM. Later that evening, the deceased was identified as 17-year-old Ronak Chadek of Bongaigaon district in Assam. The recovery marked the first confirmation of a fatality in the incident.

Search operations continued on December 14 with the same deployment of boats and personnel. Operations were carried out from early morning until 5 PM, but no additional bodies were recovered. The search was closed for the day in the evening.

On December 15, NDRF, SDRF and Assam Police teams jointly resumed the operation from 6 AM. During the course of the search, another body was recovered by the NDRF. Authorities stated that further details, including identification, were awaited.

As of December 16, officials confirmed that while the main search operation has largely concluded, one NDRF team with a boat has been deployed for continuous river patrolling. Two-hourly patrols are being conducted using sonar equipment to monitor the river and detect any further signs. No additional recoveries have been reported so far.

The rescue teams continue to issue regular situation updates, while reiterating warnings about the dangers of entering the Brahmaputra River due to strong currents. The incident has once again raised concerns over safety along riverbanks in the region.

Also Read: No Sign Yet: Brahmaputra Holds Back Clues as Five Remain Missing in Guwahati's Kharghuli