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Students from Maharashtra ventured into Russian river during ‘no swim period’
An official from Consul General of India, St Petersburg, on condition of anonymity said, considering the local weather, swimming in the river was banned till June 10
The report submitted by the Consul General of India, St Petersburg, on the drowning incident in Russia mentioned that the four MBBS students from Maharashtra who drowned in Volkhov River ventured into the waters during “no swim period” when no lifeguards were deployed at the area.
On June 4, Harshal Anantrao Desale, 19, from Bhadgaon in Jalgaon district; siblings Jishan Ashpak Pinjari, 20, and Jia Firoj Pinjari, 20, from Amalner in Jalgaon; and Malik Gulamgous Mohammad Yakub, 21, from Mumbai’s Mira Road reportedly drowned in Volkhov River but their girl classmate student Nisha Bhupesh Sonawane from Sakri Maharashtra was saved by a Russian.
According to the report released by the Consul General of India office headed by Kumar Gaurav, “As the incident took place during ‘no swim period’, no lifeguard was present at the waterbody.”
An official from Consul General of India, St Petersburg, on condition of anonymity said, “Considering the local weather, swimming in the river was banned till June 10.”
To avoid such incident in the future, the Consul General held a meeting with the rector of Novgorod State University, where the deceased students were pursuing medical degree, in Veliky Novgorod city on June 11. Rector Yuri Borovikov assured to take necessary precautionary steps and issued a strict advisory for students to stay away from waterbodies.
On Thursday, mortal remains of students arrived on two flights in Mumbai via Dubai and final rites and rituals were performed at around 9 am on Friday.
As per the information shared by the Jalgaon district administration, the students were taking a walk near the city’s beach along the Volkhov river in the evening and they drowned trying to save a female student, who waded into the waters.
