City canoer drowns in Roorkee canal

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 2

Rajshikha Malik (19), a local canoer and third-year BCom student at the Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 11, drowned in the Ganga canal at Saulani Park in Roorkee today.

The victim was attending a preparatory camp, organised by Panjab University for selecting the rowing/canoeing/kayaking teams for the coming All-India Inter-University Rowing Championship to be held at Sukhna Lake later this month.

Sources said the victim was participating in the practice session of the Coxless-four (C-4) event when she fell unconscious and the boat turned upside down. By the time the others players on the boat stabled themselves, Rajshikha had fallen into the water.

The PU Director (Sports) said only the victim fell into the water. Canoers know  how to swim and are also trained in saving their fellow players in case of an emergency, but still could not save her. 

The sources said Rajshikha was rushed to a local hospital, where she died after struggling for three hours. The exact cause of the death was yet to be ascertained till the filing of this report.

The victim is survived by her parents, an elder sister and a younger brother.

 “The incident occurred around 10 am when the players were going for the last round. Her fellow players dragged her out and rushed her to a hospital where she died after a few hours,” said Dr Parminder, PU Director (Sports). The camp had begun on July 27 and the final announcement of the team was due on Monday.

Asked why the camp was organised in Roorkee instead of Sukhna Lake, the tournament venue, the Director said, “The Sukhna water 

level was low. We decided that the mens’ rowing team will practise in Chandigarh while the other teams will train in Roorkee. It’s an unfortunate incident.” 

The college authorities denied having given permission to the victim for attending the camp. “We didn’t give permission to Rajshikha for attending the camp in Roorkee. Neither were we informed by the Directorate of Sports, PU,” said Anita Kaushal, Principal of the college.

According to the records of the PU, a letter regarding selection of the player was received by the Principal’s office on July 29 through diary No. 5008-14-26/07/16. According to the authorities, an email was also sent to the college authorities.

“The college authorities attested the pro forma of their players,” said Parminder.