Search operations underway to locate a missing youth in the Zuari river at Sanvordem.
Photo Credits: The Goan
SANGUEM
Curchorem Police along with Curchorem Fire Brigade and Coastal Police have undertaken frantic search operations since early Thursday morning in a bid to search a youth from Xeldem Quepem who was reported missing from his home since Wednesday evening.
Sources informed that Prakalp Gauns Dessai (23) of Xeldem-Quepem had left his home on Wednesday evening after informing his parents that he was going out for an outing.
However, in the wee hours of Thursday, his brother received a message on his cellphone from Prakalp saying he was planning to end his life. Incidentally, though the message was texted at about 2 am, his brother saw the message about an hour later.
After having received the message, family members immediately lodged a missing complaint at the Quepem Police Station and police immediately traced Prakalp's mobile location at Sanvordem.
The police later found the scooter driven by Prakalp on Sanvordem bridge and immediately pressed a Fire Brigade and Coastal Police help to conduct search operations in the Zuari River for the missing youth, following the text message he had sent to his brother.
Social Welfare Minister and Sanguem MLA Subhash Phal Desai, Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral, ZP Quepem Siddarth Gauns Dessai and a large number of people from Quepem and Curchorem rushed to the Sanvordem bridge.
Phal Desai even accompanied the police on a boat to trace the missing youth.
Police sources informed that on opening the dicky of the scooter, they found the mobile phone used by the missing youth but could not get any info as all date had been erased on the mobile phone.
Till late Thursday evening, the youth had still not been traced. Police are expected to continue with the search operations on Friday.
One body seen in river: Phal Desai
Minister for Social Welfare Subhash Phaldessai, who was monitoring the search operations, said one body had been seen in the river but it could not be retrieved.
“During search operations, one body was seen floating in the river but could not be fished out till late evening as it went underwater before it could be removed,” said Phal Desai.
“Since there are possibilities that the body could float again at night, a police team will be kept on guard with proper lighting in the area to keep track of the body. If needed, navy divers will be pressed into the search operations on Friday morning.”
