Lucknow: An Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 V5 helicopter from the Central Air Command in Prayagraj was deployed on Sunday morning to rescue two teenagers stranded atop an overhead water tank in the Siddharth Nagar area of Gorakhpur, following a request from the state government. The rescue operation took place nearly 15 hours after the ladder of a dilapidated water tank near Kanshiram Awas Colony collapsed on Saturday afternoon. Three adolescents who were on the ladder fell. One of them, Siddharth (13), died on the spot, while two others, Golu (14) and Sunny (11), were injured and admitted to Madhav Prasad Tripathi Medical College. Meanwhile, two other teenagers, Pawan (17) and Kallu (17), who had climbed onto the tank with the others, were left stranded on top after the ladder gave way. Officials said the overhead water tank was built for household water supply in Kanshiram Awas Colony but has remained unused for several years due to its poor condition. “Due to darkness, the height of the structure and safety concerns, police and administration teams were unable to bring them down despite sustained efforts. A hydraulic ladder vehicle was also summoned from Gorakhpur, but the rescue remained unsuccessful through the night,” an official source said. After repeated attempts failed, District Magistrate Shivasharanappa GN contacted the Indian Air Force for assistance. Responding swiftly, the IAF carried out an aerial rescue at around 5.15 am on Sunday, safely bringing down both stranded teenagers from the top of the tank. Police have sent the body of the deceased for post-mortem examination.
