Varanasi, April 19 -- A major accident was averted at Shivala Ghat in Varanasi today morning when three women from a group of pilgrims nearly drowned while taking a dip in the Ganga River.
Thanks to the swift response of local boatmen, all three were rescued safely.
The group of around 15 pilgrims had arrived from Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh for a religious visit to Varanasi. During their morning bath at the ghat, three women accidentally moved into deeper waters and began to struggle.
The women were identified as 50-year-old S.V. Panda, 22-year-old Anusha Priya and 20-year-old Cheeni Pero. As they started drowning, fellow pilgrims raised an alarm, creating panic at the ghat.
Hearing the cries for help, nearby boatmen-Suresh M...