Mumbai: Two drown during visarjan off Versova

The deceased Sanjay Tavde and Shubham Nirmal, who died. His brother Shivam was rescued

Two boys drowned in the sea and one went missing near the Versova jetty after a group of five friends went for Ganpati immersion on Sunday. The other two were saved and are recovering in hospitals. The childhood friends from Kasam Nagar slum in Andheri West would go for immersion together every year.

According to Hiraman Tavde, father of deceased Sanjay Tavde, 20, they bring Ganpati idol every year and friends and neighbours always accompany them to the immersion site. "There were seven of us who entered the sea, and as soon as I turned back a huge wave swept in the boys. One of us who knows how to swim pulled the two boys [Shivam and Vijay] to the shore. But I could not see my son and the other two. My son did not know how to swim," said Tavde.

Shivam's father Rajanlal Nirmal said, "Both my children Shivam and Shubham went to their [Tavde's] house every year for immersion and they performed all the important rituals and aarti every day during the festival. What we know now is that one will never return." Subham, 18, was in Std XI and Shivam, 19, is in the second year of college. He said the other boy, Vijay Marathe, 18, is recovering at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital.

Rajanlal Nirmal, Shubham's father

As per the disaster management cell, locals moved the two boys to Cooper hospital before the fire brigade arrived. At the time of going to print, a search team of flood rescue personnel, firefighters and lifeguards was trying to locate the missing boy. They are using a ferry boat equipped with life buoys, manilla rope and LED lights, said authorities. The incident has also revealed the security lapses as it took place despite the civic body having banned entry into the sea and Ganesh mandals were asked to hand over the idols to the BMC workers and lifeguards at the sites.

Boys went to a different site

However, civic officials insisted that there was no error on the part of their staff. They said the boys had used a spot for immersion of Ganesh idol which was not listed as an official immersion site by the civic corporation.

Local corporator of the ward where these boys' families live in Andheri West, Yogiraj Dabhadkar, said, "The search operations are still going on for the fifth person. The family members and other neighbours are still there at Versova waiting for some news from the authorities. Apparently, to avoid the rush at the main jetty, these boys found another narrow lane to enter the sea for immersion and as it was not a listed site they could go in."