Nashik: A man and his two sons from Mahalkheda village in Yeola taluka are feared to have drowned in the ‘Express Canal’ on Monday.Somnath Gite and his sons Kartik 14) and Satyam (12) were drawing water for washing a pump used for spraying insecticides on onion crops around 3pm on Monday.According to police, Kartik slipped into the canal and Satyam jumped into the canal and Satyam jumped into it to rescue him. When both of them were unable to come out, their father also jumped into the canal.Swimmers from the village rushed to the spot to help rescue them, but they were carried away by the strong currents, said police. “The villagers set up nets downstream, but they failed to retrieve anybody till 6pm, following which they called off the search operation.”District collector Radhakrishnan B called up the authorities concerned to stop releasing water into the canal. It will take a few hours before the flow and the water levels recede.Volunteers working under the district disaster management will launch a search operation on Tuesday morning. “We will carry life-jackets and other equipment along with search lights and rescue boats to the site. About 20 divers will also be in the team,” said John Bhalekar, who will lead the team from Nashik.The canal carries water from Nandurmadhmeshwar to parts of Gangapur taluka of Aurangabad district.

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