Football Match Ends in Tragedy as 13-Year-Old Drowns in Udharbond Canal

A 13-year-old boy lost his life after drowning in a canal at Mahadur Than area under Goshaipur Part-I in Udharbond on Saturday afternoon. The deceased has been identified as Pradip Dhobi, son of Rajesh Dhobi and a resident of Arkatipur Tea Estate in Cachar district.

According to sources, the incident took place around 12:30 pm when Pradip had gone to play football with his friends. After the game, he and his friends went to bathe in a nearby canal at Mahadur Than. While bathing, Pradip reportedly slipped into deep water and started drowning.

His friends noticed him struggling in the water and tried to rescue him using a bamboo pole, but they could not save him. Hearing their cries for help, local residents rushed to the spot and began a search operation.

A local resident said that the villagers also informed the NDRF about the incident. However, before the rescue team could arrive, locals managed to trace and recover the boy from the canal after nearly one and a half hours.

“He drowned while bathing after playing football. The boys were trying to pull him out with a bamboo. Villagers came to help and later we recovered him from the water,” a local resident said.

Pradip was immediately taken to Udharbond Block Primary Health Centre, where doctors declared him dead.

After receiving information, police from Udharbond Police Station reached the hospital and initiated necessary procedures. The body was later sent to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examination.