Seven Karnataka students, teacher drown off Maharashtra coast

Seven engineering students, three of them female, and their teacher from Belgaum in Karnataka drowned in the sea off Malvan, Sindhudurg, here on Saturday afternoon, police said.

Another three students were rescued by local fisherfolk. One of the students is in serious condition and undergoing treatment at Malvan hospital, said Sindhudurg Police Control official Ravindra Zarkar.

The victims were part of a 50-strong group of picknickers from Maratha Mandal Engineering College, Belgaum. They arrived here early on Saturday in a private bus and went to the picturesque Wayri Beach.

Shortly after reaching here, the students, allegedly ignoring warnings by locals of strong currents, ventured into the sea and were soon washed away into deep waters, said Zarkar.

According to eyewitnesses, a group of 11 students went into the sea when a massive wave suddenly swept them into deep waters, leading to the tragedy.

Fisherfolk managed to rescue three of them. They later retrieved the bodies of the other eight, including the three young women.

Top police and district officials arrived at the scene of the tragedy from Sindhudurg, around 35 km away.

The victims were identified as Prof. Mahesh, 40, Karuna Barde, Aarti Chavan, Maya Kolhe, Kiran Khandekar, Nitin Mutlatkar, Avdhut Tahsildar, Mujamin Aniket, all aged between 21-22 years.

Another female student, Akanksha Ghadge is serious and undergoing treatment, while two others Anita Alladi and Sanket Kawali were administered first aid and allowed to go.

--IANS

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