Two tourists’ bodies recovered from Mirsarai waterfall

The bodies of two tourists who had gone missing while visiting Rupsi Jharna in Mirsarai, Chattogram were recovered on Sunday night. 

A team from Mirsarai Fire Service and Civil Defence retrieved the bodies at 9:00 pm on the day after an extensive search operation, said Imam Patwari, station officer of Mirsarai Fire Service and Civil Defence.

The deceased individuals are Nurul Afsar, a 16-year-old student and son of one Mohammad Jamil from Firoz Shah Colony under Akbar Shah police station, and Ariful Islam Arif, a 17-year-old employee of a decoration shop and son of Mohammad Jasim from the same locality.

Poly Akhter, the wife of Afsar's elder brother, said, "Nine friends, including Afsar, embarked on a visit to Rupsi Jharna in the Bara Kamaldah hill area on Sunday morning. In the evening, I received the distressing news that Afsar and Arif were missing. Later, at 9:00 pm, we were informed that their bodies had been discovered."

Mohammad Arman, a friend of both Afsar and Arif, recalled, "We all climbed to the top of the waterfall. However, when we descended around 3:30 pm, Afsar and Arif were nowhere to be found. Despite our search efforts, we were unable to locate them." 

Arman added that they promptly reported the situation to the ticket counter, which then contacted the fire service. Subsequently, the fire service team arrived and retrieved their bodies from the well at Rupsi Jharna.

Imam Hossain Patwari of Mirsarai Fire Service said, "It is suspected that they (Afsar and Arif) drowned after falling into the waterfall due to their lack of swimming skills."

Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Mirsarai police station, confirmed that the bodies were brought to the police station and would be handed over to the family members.