Madhubani: : A 20-year-old man and his girlfriend drowned after a group of youth spotted them during a secret meeting at Durgapatti village under Harlakhi police station area in Madhubani district on Friday night and jumped into the village pond to escape.Shivam Kumar of nearby Umgaon village had gone to meet his girlfriend near a garden near the pond at around 10 pm when local youths allegedly chased him. Fearing torture, the couple jumped into the pond. While the villagers rescued the girl, Shivam, who reportedly did not know how to swim, continued to struggle in the water. Eyewitnesses allege that some people used bamboo sticks to stop them from climbing out.Villagers later recovered Shivam from the pond and took him to Umgaon Community Health Center (CHC), where reportedly no doctor was present. He was later taken to a private clinic in Basopatti, where doctors declared him brought dead.Local resident Anshu Kushwaha said, “If a doctor was available at the CHC and treatment was given on time, Shivam’s life could have been saved.” Police said the investigation is ongoing and no FIR has been registered so far.