Water police post opens in Bageshwar to tackle drowning incidents, crimes

ALMORA: A water police post was finally opened in Bageshwar on Monday for patrolling and prevention of water crimes in the district headquarter.The post was opened at the confluence of Gomti and Saryu rivers in the premises of the famous Bagnath temple in Bageshwar. The post is manned by a sub-inspector, an in-charge of the water post, four firemen and four homeguards.
Sukhbeer Singh, the SP of Bageshwar said, “The first criteria for selecting the police force for the water post was swimming.All of our police post members know swimming and have the ability to save people from drowning." The post is also equipped with life jackets, rafts, water tubes, small boats and other necessary emergency and disaster management tools. Singh said, the post will remain open all day and night. “From morning six to evening eight o’clock, all members will be present at the post. At night, there will be at least two members manning the post,” he said.
This is the first time that a ‘jal police’ post has been opened on the river banks in Bageshwar.
Hundreds of people take bath everyday in the main ghat of Saryu river from morning to sunset.
Since June 2016, at least seven people, including two children drowned and one man committed suicide in the river Saryu.