Blue Water quarry claims another life, 10th since 2017

Raipur: The body of 24-year-old Adil Khan was recovered from the abandoned Blue Water quarry in Nakti village late Saturday night, 72 hours after he drowned during a swimming dare with friends.Khan had visited the quarry on Wednesday evening with three friends, including Taufeeq. The two entered the water after challenging each other to swim across the quarry. Taufeeq swam ahead, but Khan turned back. When Taufeeq saw him struggling in the deep water, he swam back to help, but Khan submerged before he could reach him. A video of the incident later surfaced on social media.Mana police and SDRF teams began the search after Khan’s friends raised an alarm. Darkness and depths of up to 400 feet prevented retrieval that night. Diver operations resumed Thursday but were hampered by low water temperatures and difficult underwater terrain. The body was recovered after three days of searching.The incident is the 10th drowning at the site since 2017. Despite its clear blue water, the flooded quarry is considered dangerous because of its steep and extreme depths.Revenue minister Tank Ram Verma said the administration plans to restrict public entry and erect fencing around the area to prevent further accidents.