Jaipur/Jaisalmer: Four people – three siblings and their cousin – drowned in an agricultural water reservoir in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district during the Hindu festival of Bhai Dooj Wednesday.Police said the incident occurred in 9AWM village of Chhatargarh tehsil at a farm reservoir, locally known as “diggi”.“The incident occurred at a 100×100-foot water tank on the farm of one Ramesh Nayak, where his 14-year-old daughter had gone for a bath. Her foot slipped, and she fell into a deeper part of the reservoir,” said Khajuwala circle officer Vijaypal Yadav.“Seeing her fall, two of her brothers and a cousin jumped into the tank to try and save her. All four drowned,” he added.The deceased were identified as Pooja (14), her brothers Mukesh (18) and Manoj (16), and the siblings’ cousin Nirmal Nayak (21).Villagers said they alerted local police immediately.“A search operation was launched after an inspection of the reservoir and based on details from family members and eyewitnesses,” said Chhatargarh police station officer Navneet Dhaliwal.“All four bodies were recovered from the water tank and shifted to a hospital mortuary for legal formalities,” he added.The deaths of the siblings and their cousin while attempting to rescue a minor sister on Bhai Dooj — a festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters — plunged the village into mourning.Agricultural water reservoirs, or “diggis”, are commonly built on farmland across parts of northern Rajasthan to store irrigation water. Officials said their steep design and lined walls can make it difficult for a person to climb out without assistance.
