Pimpri-Chinchwad: Alandi is observing a bandh on Friday following the deaths of eight students who drowned during a coaching class picnic at Diveagar in Raigad district. The 34 students who survived the tragedy returned to Alandi early Friday morning. They reached Alandi Police Station by bus at around 6.30 am and were handed over to their parents, Police Inspector Bhima Narke said.
The mortal remains of the eight students have also left Diveagar and are expected to reach Alandi shortly, Narke said. The eight students, all aged 16, drowned at Diveagar beach on Thursday afternoon during a picnic organised by Winners Academy and Study Centre in Alandi.
34 students brought back to Alandi
According to Narke, 42 students had gone to Diveagar for the trip. The group included 17 girls and 25 boys. Eight boys drowned after entering the sea. The remaining 34 students returned to Alandi on Friday morning. Police called the parents to Alandi Police Station after the bus arrived. Each student was then handed over to their parents.
“The 34 students arrived at Alandi Police Station by bus at 6.30 am. We called their parents and handed over each student to their parents,” Narke said. The students were among the group that had travelled from Alandi to Raigad for the picnic.
Alandi bandh called as town mourns
Alandi has been shut in mourning following the deaths. The bandh was called by Alandi Municipal Council president Prashant Kurade and local residents. Police have deployed personnel across the Alandi Police Station jurisdiction to maintain law and order during the bandh.
Narke said the deployment was arranged under the guidance of senior police officials to prevent any untoward incident. The bandh comes as the town prepares to receive the bodies of the eight students.
Bodies being brought from Diveagar
The bodies of all eight students were recovered from the sea on Thursday evening. They were taken for post-mortem and other legal formalities in Raigad. After the formalities were completed, the bodies were sent towards Alandi.
Narke said the mortal remains had already left Diveagar and would reach Alandi shortly. The eight victims have been identified as Yash Kiran Wankhede, Soham Tukaram Bhandwalkar, Tanmay Dattatray Vahile, Kaustubh Sandeep Daund, Kaivalya Satish Wasankar, Rajveer Yuvraj Vahile, Pranav Ramdas Bansode and Sumit Bharat Ahire. All eight were students of Classes XI and XII.
Inquiry into academy and teachers to follow
The tragedy has also raised questions about the organisation of the picnic and the safety arrangements for the students. Narke said an Accidental Death Report (ADR) has been registered at Diveagar Police Station in connection with the deaths.
He said Winners Academy had been operating in Alandi for around two years. The academy’s director had also travelled to Diveagar with the students. The police said the education department had already visited the academy and collected information. Officials will now question the teachers and students as part of the inquiry, Narke said.
“Officials from the education department came yesterday and gathered information. The teachers and students will be called during the inquiry, and an appropriate investigation will be conducted,” Narke said. Police have not yet announced any finding of criminal responsibility in connection with the deaths.
Eight students drowned at Diveagar
The students had travelled from Alandi to Raigad for the picnic. The group first visited Raigad Fort before reaching Diveagar. At around 3 pm on Thursday, eight boys entered the sea. Police said the students apparently misjudged the depth of the water and the strength of the current.
Some of the students reportedly did not know how to swim. The boys were swept into deeper water, following which teachers and other students raised an alarm. Local residents and water-sports operators joined the rescue effort. The students were brought ashore, but attempts to revive them were unsuccessful.
All eight were declared dead. The incident has left Alandi mourning, with the town now awaiting the arrival of the students’ mortal remains. For the surviving students, the immediate process has been completed with their return home and handover to their parents. The focus will now shift to the funeral arrangements and the inquiry into how the picnic was organised.
