Cops: Picnickers ignored warnings

Three Thane-based collegians drowned at Gorai beach on Friday, when they couldn’t cope with the rising tide. They were part of a group of 13, who had gone to the beach for a picnic. HT reports.

Three Thane-based collegians drowned at Gorai beach on Friday, when they couldn’t cope with the rising tide. They were part of a group of 13, who had gone to the beach for a picnic.

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The police said several boards have been put up at the shore warning people to avoid venturing too deep into the sea, but the group had not paid them any heed. There are lifeguards and boats posted on the beach too.

Manik Bakhare, senior inspector, Gorai police, said: “When the group raised an alarm and shouted for help, the lifeguards rushed to the spot. While 10 members of the group could be rescued, 3 died.”

The deceased were identified as Sujata Patil, 19, Ashish Chavan, 20, and Niranjan Shinge, 20. The 13 who went on the picnic are students of GSS College in Majiwada, Thane.

Fire brigade officials and lifeguards managed to fish out the bodies of Chavan and Patil on Friday. However, Shinge’s body is yet to be traced. Bakhare said: “We have stopped the search operation as it is dark; we’ll start again early on Saturday.

The police have registered a case of accidental death and sent the bodies to Bhagwati Hospital for a postmortem. One of the students, Tushar Mhaskar, was injured and is in hospital, and is recovering. The other rescued members of the group had been let off after treatment.

Youth drowns near Gateway of India An unidentified youth in his early 20s drowned after allegedly jumping into the sea near Gateway of India on Friday. The body was fished out by naval divers around 2.30pm.