Haridwar, April 13 -- A major tragedy was averted on Sunday after 15 pilgrims were rescued from the middle of the Ganga River in Haridwar district following a sudden rise in water level, just ahead of the upcoming Baisakhi bath when millions of devotees are expected to arrive in the city. According to district administration officials, the pilgrims had ventured onto a dry riverbed patch that had emerged due to the receding water level. However, a sudden surge in the river's flow inundated the island-like sandy and stony area, leaving them stranded midstream. Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred near Parmarth Ghat in the Sapt Rishi Ashram area, where seven streams of the Ganga are believed to flow. Police officials said the pilgrims, unaware of fluctuations in the water level, reached the exposed patch of land thinking it was safe. When the water flow increased, they were trapped and unable to return to the ghat. District Disaster Management Officer Meera Rawat said the control room was informed about the situation following which a joint rescue operation was launched. Teams from the Jal Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), city police and divers from the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) Flood Company were rushed to the site around 10:40 am. "Rescue personnel attempted multiple approaches before finally reaching the stranded pilgrims using safety boats. All the pilgrims were safely brought back to the ghat and later allowed to proceed to their respective destinations," said Meera Rawat, District Disaster Management Officer of Haridwar district. Local resident Pundit Ram Raj, who lives in the nearby Haripur Kalan area, said panic briefly spread among the stranded pilgrims when a safety boat carrying expert divers overturned during the third rescue attempt. However, the rescue teams continued the operation and managed to evacuate the pilgrims one by one. Officials said the rescued pilgrims were from Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. They thanked the rescue personnel for saving their lives. Divers and police personnel also urged devotees to take holy dips only at authorised ghats and avoid entering uncertain riverbed areas, warning that the depth and flow of rivers can change suddenly. Taking cognisance of the incident, Senior Superintendent of Police of Haridwar district Navneet Singh Bhullar directed officials to deploy Jal Police personnel at major ghats during the Baisakhi bathing festival....