Clarification: Our earlier report gave the missing man’s age as 22, as Dainik Bhaskar and News Nation Bharat reported. Amar Ujala and Hindustan put his age at 18. Reports also differ on how he fell into the river. Update. What happened: The young man from Korihar village who went into the Sai river at Sirsa Ghat on Saturday, 31 October 2026, had still not been found by Sunday evening. Amar Ujala reports that 14 State Disaster Response Force personnel and 11 PAC personnel searched the river in boats on Sunday. Nets were laid about 5 km downstream near Chandi ka Purwa. Family members and villagers waited on the Sirsa bridge all day. Station House Officer Sanjay Kumar Singh told Hindustan that the search would start again on Monday morning. Our earlier report is here.
Why it matters: Each day without news is hard for the family. Amar Ujala and Hindustan say he was swept away while bathing. Dainik Bhaskar says he slipped on the ghat steps while filling water. Police have not given an official account in the reports so far. Circle Officer Lalganj Sujeet Kumar Rai spoke to the media at the site. The Sai is deep and fast in places after the recent rain, which makes the search slow and risky for the teams. Divers also find it hard to see under muddy water.
Honest opinion: The use of both SDRF and PAC teams shows that the district is treating the case seriously. Searches in rivers after heavy rain often take several days. The different ages and accounts in the media show why the police should share one clear statement. Families also need regular updates from officials, not only from the riverbank. Confidence: medium.
What you should do: Stay away from the ghat steps and the river edge while the water is high, and keep children away from the water. Do not crowd the bridge or the bank, as this slows the rescue teams. If you see anything in the river downstream, call 112 or tell the Gurubakhshganj police at once. Quick reports can help the teams narrow their search. Do not share unverified photos or rumours about the search on social media.
Sources
Amar Ujala, 2 November 2026, https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/barabanki/no-trace-found-of-ankul-who-drowned-in-the-sai-river-barabanki-news-c-101-1-slko1031-171301-2026-11-02
Hindustan, Raebareli, 2 November 2026, https://www.livehindustan.com/uttar-pradesh/raebareli/story-18-year-old-missing-after-drowning-in-sai-river-search-operation-continues-201793557999728.html
Dainik Bhaskar, Raebareli, 1 November 2026, https://www.bhaskar.com/local/uttar-pradesh/raibareli/news/raebareli-youth-drowns-sai-river-sirsa-ghat-search-operation-139558046.html
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