MANSEHRA: Four NWFP health department employees, including two doctors drowned in river Indus at Thakot in Battagram district on Friday.

Reports from Thakot said the body of Dr Niaz of Mansehra had been recovered. Efforts were being made to retrieve bodies of remaining three persons. The other three drowned persons included Dr Zahid from Mardan, EPI technician Gulzar and Nazeer from Kurram Agency. The search was on for their bodies.

Earlier, local people managed to rescue two other employees of the provincial health department, Gul Shahzad and Taj Said. Both sustained injuries. The six men were working at the Basic Health Unit (BHU) in Thakot. They had gone for a swim in the river Indus apparently to beat the heat. However, they were trapped in the fast-raging waters of the river and were drowned.