Rey Khola claims one more. Toll up to 5 in 4 months

Subash Rai

Another drowning at Rey Khola in East Sikkim was reported on Sunday, 04 October. With this incident the number of lives claimed by a paticular section of this river has gone up to five in four months! As per eyewitness accounts, a 24-year-old youth from Vajra, Baluwakhani died due to drowning at around 4.30 pm on Sunday. According to a friend of the victim, five of them including the victim’s younger brother were swimming at that particular spot but suddenly the victim’s brother started drowning. Seeing this, the victim jumped into the deep whirlpool and pulled his brother out but was himself sucked in.
When police personnel from Ranipool Out Post reached the spot it was already dark. The divers could not retrieve the body in the evening. It was only on Monday morning at around 10 am, that the body was taken out from the pool and sent for autopsy.
It is agonizing to mention here that a Class X student had lost his life at the same spot last Sunday. Prior to that another school boy had drowned in July and around a month earlier on June 24, a student and a driver had drowned at the same spot. The concerned authorities had put a placard cautioning visitors but some miscreants had thrown it away.
Meanwhile, the residents of the area including villagers from Rey Khola Road, Lower Rumtek, Adampool, Lingdum, Barbing and it surrounding areas have decided to petition the District Magistrate seeking his intervention in securing this spot.
Speaking to NOW!, CB Chettri, a resident, said, “This is ridiculous! The concerned authorities must step forward and workout some solution to save precious lives.”
Similarly, Pempa Lepcha opined, “Using dynamites, big boulders scattered around the pool should be blasted and the pool should be filled up using these rocks.”
The villagers further suggested that a police outpost be established in the area so that visitors can be alerted about the danger of the spot. “No one listens to our cautioning but officials in uniform could definitely prevent such untoward incidents,” said Padam Tamang.