A bid to shoot a social media video turned deadly in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar after five children climbed a 60-foot-high water tank, leading to a fatal fall and a high-risk overnight rescue.
The incident took place on Saturday afternoon when the children climbed the structure to film a reel, unaware of the danger.
While descending, the ladder gave way under their combined weight. Three children fell nearly 50 feet to the ground.
Thirteen-year-old Siddharth died on the spot, while two others suffered serious injuries and were rushed for treatment.
Two children remained trapped on top of the tank, triggering panic among locals and authorities.
Efforts to rescue them faced repeated setbacks. A crane could not reach the spot due to marshy ground, and attempts to build an access path were hampered by rain.
With the situation worsening, the state sought help from the Indian Air Force following directions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
On a request from state government authorities, an IAF Mi 17 V5 of Central Air Command (CAC) was deployed to rescue two stranded children, who were stuck on top of a water tank in Sidharth Nagar in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. The children were stranded in the night as the ladder of pic.twitter.com/dZ2D4shbQS— CAC, IAF (@CAC_CPRO) May 3, 2026
An Mi-17 V5 helicopter was deployed for the operation, turning the rescue into a complex night mission.
After nearly 16 hours of effort, the two stranded children were airlifted safely at around 5:20 am.
Officials, including District Magistrate Shivsharanappa GN and SSP Abhishek Mahajan, remained at the site through the night as rescue teams worked under challenging conditions.
The incident has raised concerns over unsafe structures and the growing trend of risky stunts for social media content.
– Ends
With inputs from Anil Kumar Tiwari
Published By:
Sonali Verma
Published On:
May 3, 2026 17:37 IST
