Hamirpur: A person drowned in the Beas river in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district on Tuesday and another man is missing, police said here.
They said it happened near Choru village when people were taking a bath in the river after the immersion of Lord Ganesh idols.
According to eye witnesses, while people were coming out of the river, Soni realised Vinay Kumar was missing and jumped into the water to look for him.
He, however, became trapped in the iron bars of an idol and drowned in the river, they said.
Soni was fished out by rescuers and taken to the Nadaun hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police.
Nadaun police in-charge Babu Ram said police were conducting a search operation for Vinay Kumar of Nalti village who is feared drowned.
Police have registered a case and an investigation is on, he added.
So far, 31 people, including tourists, have died due to drowning in Himachal Pradesh during the current monsoon season.
Annually, 500 people die due to drowning in HP, DGP Atul Verma said recently.