8 STUDENTS DROWN OFF MAHA BEACH

A picnic to a beach at Malwan in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra turned tragic for a group of youngsters after eight of them drowned on Saturday.

According to Malwan police, the incident , which was reported to them at 11.30 am, took place when about 30 students from Maratha Mandal College in Belgaum, Karnataka, went to Wayri beach in Malwan for a picnic.

The youngsters ventured into the water to beat the heat but eight of them, including three women, were soon washed away into deep waters.

The students allegedly ignored warnings by locals of strong currents.

Four others who were drowning were saved by locals.

The deceased have been identified as Muzamin Aniker, 22; Kiran Khandekar, 22; Arti Chavan, 22; Avdhoot Tahsildar, 21; Nitin Mutnalkar, 21; Karuna Berde, 22; Maya Kolhe, 22; and Mahesh Kudulkar. Sanket Gadvi, Anita Hanali, Akansha Ghatge escaped with minor injuries.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Rajshree Halgekar, an official at the Maratha Mandal Engineering College, said , “It was a private trip that the students arranged for themselves.”

“As April 14 was a holiday, the students decided to arrange the trip, despite Saturday being a half-day,” Halgekar said.

“The college management has informed all the parents and the senior staff has also reached the spot, which is 250 km from the college,” she added.