Dima Hasao, Assam: A tragic incident at Bulchol (Hmunthajao) waterfall in Assam’s Dima Hasao district has claimed the lives of three students from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Silchar. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when a group of students visited the remote waterfall, located in Bolsom Bagan of Harangajao, for an outing.

The deceased have been identified as Sauhard Rai (20) and Sarbavartika Singh (20), both from Uttar Pradesh, and Radhika (19) from Bihar. According to reports, one of the students slipped and fell into the water, and the other two fell in while attempting to rescue her.

Authorities were alerted and rescue teams, including Fire and Emergency Services from Haflong and Harangajao, police personnel, and members of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), were immediately dispatched to the scene. A deep-diving team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in Silchar was also deployed to assist in the rescue operations.

The rescue efforts were significantly hampered by the difficult terrain, poor mobile connectivity, and lack of vehicular access to the remote waterfall site. Despite these challenges, all three bodies were recovered. They were declared dead upon recovery, according to DDMA officials. A medical team was placed on standby during the operation.

A senior official from the DDMA stated that the "tragic mishap occurred when the group of NIT students visited the scenic but remote waterfall for an outing". The official added that rescue teams rushed to the spot after receiving information and commenced the rescue operation.

Authorities have expressed their condolences and urged the public to exercise caution when visiting waterfalls and other natural sites, especially during the post-monsoon season. The unpredictable and hazardous water currents during this period pose significant risks.