Lucknow: A Ganesh idol immersion in Mohanlalganj area turned fatal on Tuesday evening after three men drowned in Sai river near Jabraila bridge. Their bodies were recovered on Wednesday following an intensive overnight search by State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and local divers.The victims were identified as Dheeraj (35), Hariprasad (40) and Pramod (22), all residents of Sisendi. Police said the incident occurred around 5 pm when villagers gathered at the riverbank for the immersion. Dheeraj reportedly moved into a deeper stretch of the river and began to drown. Hariprasad entered the water to rescue him but was swept away by the current. Moments later, Pramod also went in to help, and all three disappeared after being caught in the strong flow.A rescue operation was launched soon after authorities received information. Despite poor visibility, teams continued searching through the night using floodlights, boats and specialised equipment, extending the sweep downstream in the direction of the current. Two SDRF teams remained deployed in the area.On Wednesday morning, rescuers recovered the bodies of Dheeraj and Hariprasad. The search then widened across nearly three kilometres of the river, and Pramod’s body was found around 11.45 am, officials said. The operation involved about 20 SDRF personnel led by sub-inspector Ritesh Sachan, along with six experienced local divers. Boats, hooks, life jackets and other flood-response gear were used during the combing.Senior officials, including additional district magistrate (FR), SDM Akash Singh and ACP RK Singh, monitored the operation at the site. The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination.The deaths have left three families in shock. Dheeraj’s wife Anita and Hariprasad’s wife Shyamawati are pregnant. Hariprasad is also survived by a 12-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter. All three men worked as daily-wage labourers and were primary earners. Relatives spent the night on the riverbank awaiting updates before the recoveries confirmed their worst fears.