In a tragic incident, two young men in Andhra Pradesh, who were students of a private engineering college allegedly drowned in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. The police said that the incident took place when the students ventured deep into the water at the city's Rushikonda beach.
The local police said that a group of five students had landed up at the beach on Sunday and had ventured into the tall waves, despite warnings from authorities on the shore.
As the water current was strong, two of them were pulled into the water, while the remaining three were rescued by the Coastal Security Police (CSP). The rescued persons were admitted at a government hospital in the city.
“On Sunday, the sea surface was rough. Despite repeated warnings, the students paid no heed and entered into the deep waters. The rescued students have been admitted to a hospital and are undergoing treatment,” CSP personnel were quoted as saying.
The deceased have been identified as Pawan Kumar and Hari Kiran. Both of them were 19 years old. While Pawan's body washed ashore later, authorities are on the lookout for Hari Kiran.
An autopsy was conducted on Pawan's body and it was handed over to his family members. Meanwhile, a case has been registered with the PM Palem Police Station.
While the city police and the Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation (GVMC) have been taking steps to prevent such incidents by hiring community guards, drowning deaths continue to be reported.
Besides warning people not to wade deep into the water during rough seas, the police said that another problem that they faced was the need of young adults to take selfies close to the water, which sometimes put their own life in danger.
“All we can do is issue a cautionary notice and put up a warning signboard. It is for the people to respond positively,” DCP (Law and Order) K. Fakkeerappa had told a media outlet last month.