Two young men from Jaipur died after their SUV was swept away by floodwater in Dehradun in the early hours of Tuesday, in an accident that has left their families devastated. A third occupant of the vehicle survived and was rescued nearly two kilometres downstream.
A Flooded Road and a Terrifying Accident
Dehradun witnessed relentless rain through the night between Monday and Tuesday, with water cascading down from the hills and turning low-lying areas into flood zones. Jaipur residents Akshay and Kanak Sachdeva were travelling with their companion, Sahaj Kaur, near Lower Kandoli on Pondha Road, close to the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), in the Prem Nagar area, when they encountered a stretch of road submerged under a fast-moving current. Another SUV was attempting to cross the same flooded stretch at the same time. As their vehicle moved forward, the driver lost control, and the Rajasthan-registered car was swept into the deluge.
Rescue Operation By Torchlight
An emergency call reached the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) control room at around 2:55 am, reporting that two vehicles had been swept away near Kandoli Bridge. SDRF teams rushed to the site, working through heavy rain and darkness as the swollen water posed a serious challenge. Divers and rescue personnel began searching the area by torchlight. Around two kilometres from the accident site, in the direction of the current, the rescue team found 18-year-old Sahaj Kaur injured among bushes and debris. She was pulled to safety and rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Bodies Of Akshay And Kanak Found Kilometres Away
Once Sahaj had been found, the SDRF intensified its search for Akshay and Kanak. After an overnight operation, the team recovered the bodies of 20-year-old Akshay and 21-year-old Kanak Sachdeva. Akshay was a third-year B.Tech student at UPES and a resident of Jaipur; Kanak, who also lost her life in the accident, was likewise from Jaipur. Police took custody of both bodies, completed the inquest procedure, and sent them for post-mortem examination.
Two In Second Car Rescued Safely
SDRF spokesperson Vineet Kumar said a second SUV had also attempted to cross the flooded road around the same time and was swept away as well. However, the two occupants of that vehicle were pulled to safety in time.
Monsoon Fury: Rivers And Drains In Spate
Weather conditions across Dehradun and Uttarakhand remain dangerous, with waterlogging reported in areas including Nanda Ki Chowki, Bidholi, Prem Nagar, Kaulagarh, Salawala and IT Park. Videos circulating on social media show two-wheelers and belongings being swept along flooded streets. Landslides have disrupted National Highway 507 at several points, traffic on the Dehradun–Mussoorie highway has been badly affected, and three state highways and seven rural roads remain completely closed. The administration has issued a strict warning to students and residents against attempting to cross swollen rivers, monsoon drains or waterlogged roads.
