MARGAO
A family outing turned tragic on Sunday evening when an eight-year-old boy drowned in a rivulet at Cananguinim, while his teenage sister remains in critical condition after attempting to save him.
The incident occurred at around 4 pm on Sunday when the Naik family from Vastawaddo-Curchorem had gone to Cananguinim for a picnic. According to Cuncolim Police, preliminary inquiries suggest that the young boy, identified as Shloak Naik, had entered the rivulet while playing and soon began to struggle in the water.
His 17-year-old sister, Sanika Naik, noticing her brother in distress, immediately rushed into the rivulet in an attempt to rescue him. She also raised an alarm, calling out for help. While bystanders managed to pull her out of the water after she too began struggling, the boy could not be saved in time.
Shloak was retrieved from the rivulet and rushed to the Balli Primary Health Centre, where doctors declared him brought dead. Meanwhile, Sanika, who had consumed water, was initially taken to the Hospicio South Goa District Hospital.
Due to the seriousness of her condition, she was later referred to the Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim, where she is currently undergoing treatment.
Cuncolim Police Station in-charge, Police Inspector Diego Gracias, stated that the family had come for a picnic when the unfortunate incident occurred. “Our preliminary inquiries indicate that the boy had entered the rivulet while playing. His sister attempted to rescue him but also got into difficulty,” he said.
The body of the deceased boy has been preserved at the Hospicio mortuary for post-mortem examination. Cuncolim police is investigating.
