Congress leader and Rajasthan in-charge Sachin Pilot on Monday, 13 July 2026, expressed deep condolences over the drowning deaths of six children in two separate incidents in Rajasthan — four in Dungarpur district and two in Alwar district — urging citizens to exercise caution near water bodies during the ongoing monsoon season.

What happened

Four children lost their lives while bathing in an aniket (check dam) at Likhi Badi village in Dungarpur district. In a separate incident, two children drowned while bathing in a farm pond in Dwarapur Gram Panchayat of Alwar district. Both incidents occurred as monsoon rains have caused rivers, streams, and local water bodies across Rajasthan to swell significantly.

Pilot described the news as 'atyant dukkhad evam durbhagyapurn' (extremely sorrowful and unfortunate), and said his deepest sympathies are with the bereaved families. He prayed that God give the grieving families strength to endure this loss.

Context

Rajasthan receives the bulk of its annual rainfall between July and September, when the southwest monsoon is active. During this period, rural water bodies — including check dams, farm ponds, and seasonal streams — fill rapidly and become hazardous, particularly for children who may not be aware of sudden depth changes or strong undercurrents.

Dungarpur and Alwar are geographically distinct districts: Dungarpur lies in the tribal belt of southern Rajasthan near the Gujarat border, while Alwar is in the northeastern part of the state bordering Haryana. The fact that drowning incidents occurred simultaneously in two such distant districts underscores how widespread the monsoon hazard is across the state this season.

Policy backdrop

State administrations routinely issue advisories during the monsoon cautioning residents against entering swollen water bodies, and local authorities are expected to deploy warning signage near check dams, ponds, and river ghats. Farm ponds, constructed under central and state government schemes to support irrigation, are widespread across rural Rajasthan and can reach considerable depth during heavy rainfall.

Pilot, in his post, specifically called on citizens to follow administration-issued guidelines and avoid waterlogged or flooded areas. His appeal reflects a recurring challenge: translating official advisories into behavioural change in rural communities where open water bodies are part of daily life.

Stakeholder and community impact

The six deaths represent a devastating loss for the families and villages concerned. In rural Rajasthan, check dams and farm ponds serve vital agricultural and domestic purposes, making complete avoidance impractical — yet the monsoon season transforms them into serious safety hazards.

Child drowning during the monsoon is a recurring public-health concern across India, and incidents like these in Dungarpur and Alwar highlight the need for stronger community-level awareness campaigns, physical barriers, and rapid-response mechanisms at local water bodies.

What's next

With the monsoon season likely to continue through September 2026, district administrations in Rajasthan are expected to intensify public safety advisories. Pilot's public appeal adds political weight to calls for greater vigilance and may prompt the state government to review safety protocols around rural water infrastructure. The grief of six families now stands as a sombre reminder of the seasonal danger that monsoon rains bring to communities across the state.