Army jawan drowns while saving friends in Gujarat’s Vanthali during Diwali vacation

A tragic incident cast a shadow over Diwali celebrations in Junagadh district after an Indian Army jawan lost his life while rescuing his friends from drowning in the Ozat River near Tikar village of Vanthali taluka.

According to reports, four friends had gone for a swim in the river during the holiday break when three of them were swept away by the strong current. Seeing them struggle, Bharat Laxman Bhetariya, who served in the Indian Army, immediately jumped in to save them.

While he managed to pull his friends to safety, Bharat himself was caught in the fierce river current and went missing.

Upon receiving information, fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and carried out a search operation late into the night. However, his body could not be traced until the following morning, when it was finally recovered from the river.

The news of Bharat Bhetariya’s death has plunged the entire region into grief, turning festive celebrations into mourning. Locals have hailed him as a hero who sacrificed his life in a selfless act of bravery to save his friends.