Raigarh. The sea trip turned out to be the last trip of life for the students of a private coaching institute in Pune who had come for a picnic at Diveagar Beach in Raigarh district of Maharashtra. Eight students who had gone to take bath in the sea drowned due to the strong current. During the initial search, bodies of seven students were found, while the search for the missing eighth student was ongoing. Later his body was also recovered. All eight deceased were 16 years old.
A group of 48 people had reached Diveagar
A group of students of class 11th and 12th from Winners Academy located at Alandi in Pune district had reached Raigarh on an educational tour. The team included 25 boys, 17 girls and six teachers. A total of 48 member group had reached the beach of Diveagar.
Eight students fell into the sea and were pulled by the current.
According to the police, eight students went into the sea to take a bath. It was told that the students did not estimate the depth of water and sea currents correctly. Due to the strong current, they went towards deep water and soon got into trouble. After the noise raised by the students and teachers present at the spot, the local people and the rescue team started the relief operation.
Local people and water sports team took charge
As soon as information about the accident was received, local police, villagers and people associated with water sports started searching in the sea. During the rescue operation, the students were taken out and taken to the health center, where they were declared dead. Police have registered a case of accidental death in connection with the accident and started investigation.
The eight dead were identified
The deceased have been identified as Tanmay Vahile, Sumit Ahire, Pranav Bansode, Kaivalya Vasankar, Rajveer Vahile, Yash Wankhede, Soham Bhandwalkar and Kaustubh Daund. All the students are said to be from Alandi and surrounding areas of Pune.
Chaos in families
As soon as the news of the accident was received, the family members of the students rushed to the incident site and the hospital. Expressing grief over the incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described it as extremely sad and said that the local administration is cooperating in making arrangements to take the bodies of the deceased to their homes.
Questions were also raised on the arrangements of the coaching institute.
After the accident, it was told by the coaching institute that consent letters were taken from the parents for the trip of the students. At the same time, in the initial investigation by the local administration, questions have also come to light regarding the permission related to the operation of the institute. The tour arrangements and security arrangements are also being examined in the further investigation.
Such accidents have happened in the sea before also
The Diveagar incident has raised questions about the safety of groups of students on beaches. Even before this, incidents of drowning during educational trips have been reported on the beaches of Maharashtra. In such a situation, the need for security arrangements and trained surveillance before entering the sea is once again in discussion.