Haflong | Three students from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Silchar, drowned in a waterfall in Assam’s Dima Hasao district, officials said on Sunday.

The incident took place at the Bulchol (Hmunthajao) waterfall, located in Bolsom Bagan of Harangajao on Saturday afternoon, they said.

"The tragic mishap occurred when the group of NIT students visited the scenic but remote waterfall for an outing. After getting information, our teams rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation," a senior official of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said.

The deceased students have been identified as Sauhard Rai (20) and Sarbavartika Singh (20) from Uttar Pradesh, and Radhika (19) from Bihar.

Rescue efforts were hampered due to poor mobile connectivity and inaccessibility of the area, making communication and coordination difficult, he said.

"A medical team was kept on standby to respond to any emergency situation. All the three students were retrieved from the water, but declared dead by doctors," the DDMA official said.

The authorities have expressed grief over the incident, and urged people to exercise caution while visiting waterfalls and other tourist spots, especially during the post-monsoon season when water currents remain unpredictable and hazardous.