VALPOI
In a tragic incident, a 17-year-old Class 11 student of Deepvihar Higher Secondary School at Sada-Baina, Vasco, drowned while on a school trek to the Tonir-Kazredyat waterfall in Savarde-Sattari on Friday.
The incident has triggered widespread concern across Sattari, with local residents demanding strict action against the school teachers, management, and those who allegedly assisted the group in reaching the prohibited waterfall.
THE INCIDENT
According to available information, around 40 students accompanied by teachers from Deepvihar Higher Secondary School had arrived in Sattari for a trekking excursion.
The Tonir-Kazredhat Waterfall has been declared a restricted area by the Forest Department due to its dangerous terrain and strong water currents. Public entry has been prohibited, yet the group managed to reach the site.
Heavy rainfall in the hilly region had caused the waterfall to swell, with the river flowing at a dangerous speed. While some students entered the water, one student, Rahul Bind, reportedly lost balance and was swept into the water sometime around noon. Fellow students attempted to rescue him, but the strong current made all rescue efforts unsuccessful.
THE SEARCH
On receiving information about the incident, personnel from the Valpoi Fire and Emergency Services, Forest Department, and Police rushed to the spot.
Search and rescue personnel continued the search for nearly four hours before the body of Bind was recovered at around 4 pm. Forest department staff also extended assistance during the operation.
Valpoi police conducted the inquest panchanama after the body was recovered and the body was shifted to the Goa Medical College hospital for an autopsy.
Bind, a Class 11 Science student, was described by classmates as a bright, disciplined, and friendly student who maintained good relations with everyone.
THE REACTIONS
Expressing shock over the incident, residents claimed that taking students to a prohibited waterfall without obtaining permission from the forest department was highly irresponsible and amounted to a violation of the law.
They have demanded that criminal cases be registered against the teachers, school management, and all those responsible for exposing students to such danger.
Locals also claimed that despite the official ban, some individuals secretly guide tourists and trekking groups to the waterfall. It is suspected that similar local assistance may have enabled the Deepvihar school group to reach the restricted site.
Following the incident, residents have urged the authorities to increase patrolling at restricted waterfalls and to make prior written permission from the forest department mandatory for educational trekking activities. They have also demanded awareness programmes on monsoon tourism safety and water-related hazards for students.
THE DANGER
Tonir-Kazredyat Waterfall is one of Sattari's most scenic yet extremely dangerous waterfalls. Beneath the cascading water lie deep pools, hidden rock formations, and powerful undercurrents that make the site highly unsafe.
Local residents say that visitors unfamiliar with the terrain cannot judge the depth of the water or the dangerous underwater formations. Once trapped in the current, escaping becomes extremely difficult.
More than ten drowning cases have been reported at waterfalls and rivers across Sattari during the past year.
Although warning boards have been installed at various locations, many visitors continue to ignore the restrictions, leading to repeated fatal accidents.
