Another selfie stunt proves fatal as two HSC students drown in Nashik dam

Two HSC students from Pune became the latest victims of the selfie fever as they drowned at a dam in Nashik. The duo was part of a group of 10 childhood friends, who had gone on a picnic to enjoy themselves before their HSC exams, which begin in a few days.

Ajinkya Gaikar and Saurabh Chulbhare

The deceased have been identified by police as Ajinkya Gaikar (18), who hails from Ahuli, and Deoram alias Saurabh Chulbhare (18), who is from Yewala. Both the deceased are students of CIDCO-based Shantarambapu Waware College. The incident took place around 2.30 pm at Waldevi dam, which is around 20 kilometres from Nashik, and the body of the duo was fished out after three hours by the police, with the help of local residents.

A case of accidental death has been registered at the Wadivarhe Police station in Nashik. Inspector Manohar Patil, in-charge of Wadivarhe Police station, said, "A gang of 10 friends had gone to the dam on four motorbikes on Saturday afternoon. All are students of HSC from Commerce and Arts. Around 1.30 pm, they reached the dam and all were swimming and clicking pictures. Later, Gaikar and Chulbhare went to a rock, which is slippery area, to click a selfie. Chulbhare lost control and fell down. Gaikar tried to pull him up, but he too lost control."

Patil added, "There is less water in the dam, so some women, who were washing clothes, threw a saree, so that the children could hang on to it and come up, but due to the breeze, the sari did not reach them, and they drowned."

During investigations, it came to the fore that Gaikar had planned the picnic with his friend to beat stress of upcoming exams.

B G Wagh, Principal of the college, informed, "Both were good at studies. This is really an unfortunate incident. Last week itself, we had given them a send off, and had clicked group pictures of this batch."

Gaikar's father works as labourer in a Nashik-based steel company and was the only child. Chulbhare's father works as a painter and is also the only son in the family. Gaikar's father said, "He left home claiming he wanted to collect some notes from his friends. I had asked him not to leave home, and that I will collect notes from his friend, but he did not listen. This year, during his send-off, he had worn a blazer and had promised me that, soon after his graduation, he will earn handsome money and that he will wear such suits to his office daily."

Chulbhare's father added, "He lied to his mother that he is going to his friend's house to study, and that they are going to solve the papers together."

Gaikar, Chulbhare and eight other friends -- Kunal Narode (18), Sandesh Pawar (18), Chetan Deshmukh (21), Shubham Arote (17), Vaibhav Nikam (17), Jitu Charde (18), Vijay Ranbavale and Gaurav Kurkute, all are student of HSC, were part of the picnic.

Kunal informed, "It was a sudden plan made by Gaikar. We all thought that since our HSC exams are beginning soon, this would be a good way to beat stress. We gathered at our college and went to the dam on four bikes. We clicked many pictures. Gaikar use to say, ‘zindagi na milegai dobhara', so lets enjoy."