Daijiworld Media Network - Siddharthnagar

Siddharthnagar, May 3: In a tragic incident highlighting the dangers of social media stunts, a bid by children to shoot a reel atop a 60-foot-high water tank in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district turned fatal, leaving one dead, two injured, and triggering a high-risk overnight rescue operation.

The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when five children climbed the elevated water tank to film a video, reportedly unaware of the risks involved. While attempting to descend, the ladder collapsed under their combined weight, causing three of them to fall nearly 50 feet to the ground.

A 13-year-old boy, identified as Siddharth, died on the spot, while two other children sustained serious injuries and were rushed to hospital for treatment.

The remaining two children were left stranded atop the tank, sparking panic among locals and authorities. Initial rescue attempts faced major challenges, as a crane could not access the location due to marshy terrain, while efforts to create an approach path were hindered by rain.

With the situation turning critical, the state government sought assistance from the Indian Air Force following directions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Responding to the request, the IAF deployed an Mi-17 V5 helicopter from Central Air Command to carry out the rescue operation.

The complex night-time mission lasted nearly 16 hours, with rescue teams battling adverse conditions. The stranded children were finally airlifted to safety at around 5:20 am on Sunday.

Senior officials, including District Magistrate Shivsharanappa GN and SSP Abhishek Mahajan, remained present at the site throughout the night, overseeing the rescue efforts.

The incident has raised serious concerns over unsafe public structures and the growing trend of dangerous stunts undertaken by youngsters for social media content.