GORAKHPUR, April 2 -- Four children, all close friends, went missing in Khorabar town of Gorakhpur district on Wednesday evening. Their bicycles and clothes on the bank of the Rapti river have raised fears that they may have drowned while bathing, officials said.

According to Gautam Gupta from the disaster management office, rescue teams were rushed to the spot after information was received around 6:15 pm. However, the search operation was initially hampered by poor visibility.

Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Deepak Gupta said the children had left their homes to play but did not return by evening, prompting their families to launch a search. During the search, four bicycles and some clothes were found abandoned near the riverbank, dee...