MALVAN
While three other students were rescued from the sea, the condition of one student is reported to be critical.
According to reports, the incident took place as a group of 47 students and two professors of the engineering college had gone to Malvan for a picnic at the Wayari-Bhutnath beach.
Locals are reported to have warned the students not to swim on account of strong currents at the time. While most students paid heed to their advice and stayed back, 10 students and one professor went ahead for a swim and a short while later, began to struggle in the sea.
On hearing their cries for help, some locals and fishermen rushed to their aid and brought the 11 persons ashore. They were rushed to the Rural Hospital at Malvan, where seven students and one professor were declared dead on arrival. Of the three others, two are being treated at the hospital while one student was in a critical condition and was shifted to the District Hospital.
Those who died were identified as the lecturer, Mahesh Kurcharkar (35) and students, Mujabin Aniket, Nitin Butnad, Kiran Khandekar, Avdhoot Tahshildar, Maya Khole, Karuna Berde and Arti Chavan. On receiving news of the incident, Malvan MLA Vaibhav Naik, Malvan Municipal Council President Mahesh Kandalgaokar and other rushed to the site and supervised the rescue operations.
When contacted, sources from Wayari panchayat said they have appointed two lifeguards to guard the coast.
“However, the long stretch of coast had made it difficult for the lifeguards to reach the site in quick time to rescue the 10 students and one professor,” the source said.
The administration of the Maratha Mandal Engineering college was intimated and the parents were immediately notified about the tragedy. The families were grief-stricken at the Rural Hospital, as they took possession of the bodies.
