In Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Aditya Vardhan Singh, a Deputy Director from the Health Department, went for a bath in the Ganges River but tragically slipped and drowned. The incident occurred last Saturday, yet his whereabouts are still unknown. A team of divers is in search of him, with the involvement of NDRF and SDRF. The PAC and the water police are also searching, but even after 48 hours, their efforts have yielded no results.
Friends of the official mentioned that they had immediately sought help from the present divers. However, the divers demanded Rs 10,000 upfront. Due to a lack of cash, the amount was transferred to a shopkeeper’s account online, but it was too late. Aditya Vardhan was swept away. The incident took place at the Nanamau Ghat under the Bilhaur police station jurisdiction.
There are allegations that Aditya Vardhan (45) could have been saved had the divers started the rescue immediately. Instead, they waited for the payment to be transferred before beginning the rescue, by which time Aditya Vardhan had been swept away.
Wife is a Judge, Brother is an IAS Officer
Aditya Vardhan's wife serves as a judge in Maharashtra, and his cousin is a senior IAS officer in Bihar. His parents and sister have arrived from Australia, and other relatives have also gathered at the scene. His wife has been there since the incident. The community is questioning if there is truly no value to a human life over money.
Source: aajtak
Payment Demanded Before Rescue Initiated
Reportedly, this incident happened on Saturday, August 31st, at Nanamau Ghat in Kanpur. Aditya Vardhan, an officer in the UP Health Department, along with friends, including Pradeep Tiwari, went to bathe in the Ganges. Friends stated that Aditya Vardhan asked for a photo to be taken while bathing when his foot slipped into a pothole, leading to his drowning. They immediately sought help from nearby divers.
The divers, however, first asked for Rs 10,000. With no cash on hand, the money was transferred to a shopkeeper’s account online. By the time the divers moved to rescue Aditya Vardhan, it was already too late.
Rescue Delayed Despite Danger
Relatives like Aniket Singh mentioned that the shopkeeper withheld screen-shot proof of the Rs 10,000 transfer before divers attempted the rescue. If they had not wasted 10-15 minutes waiting for the transfer, Aditya Vardhan could have been saved.
The shopkeeper explained that the divers had no online account, so the money was transferred to his account. After failing to find Aditya Vardhan, he returned the money. When asked why the divers didn’t save the drowning man first and collect money later, the shopkeeper replied they would have saved anyone they saw.
As of now, Aditya Vardhan’s body has yet to be found. The police and administration continue their search operation with the SDRF team combing several kilometers of the river. ADCPI Brijendra Dwivedi, with his team, has been stationed at the ghat for two continuous days, stating that multiple teams have been deployed in the search. Relatives and friends of the victim are also at the scene, hoping for a resolution.
