Karwar : A tragic incident occurred on Sunday morning at Murudeshwar Beach when a Bengaluru student drowned in the Arabian Sea, while another student was successfully rescued by lifeguards. The deceased has been identified as Gautham, aged 17, and his companion, Dhanush D, was saved from the rough waters.
Gautham and Dhanush were part of a larger group of 220 students from Vidya Soudha PU College in Bengaluru who had embarked on a picnic to enjoy the weekend. During their outing, the two students decided to take a swim but were caught off guard by strong waves that swept them away.
Lifeguards and police personnel promptly responded to the emergency. Dhanush was spotted struggling in the water and was swiftly rescued with assistance from three boats belonging to a private adventure activities firm. Fortunately, Dhanush survived the ordeal and is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.
However, Gautham did not survive the incident. Initially, Dhanush did not mention that Gautham had joined him for the swim. It was only after a headcount of the students revealed Gautham’s absence that authorities launched a search operation. The lifeguards, along with Sub-Inspector Rudresh and other rescuers, conducted a thorough search and ultimately recovered Gautham’s body from the sea. A case has been filed at the Murudeshwar Police Station in connection with the drowning.
In response to the incident and the heavy weekend crowd, local authorities have imposed a temporary ban on tourists entering the sea to prevent further accidents. Additionally, increased police presence has been deployed at the beach to ensure the safety of all visitors.
The community mourns the loss of young Gautham, and efforts are underway to reinforce safety measures at popular beaches to protect both locals and tourists from similar tragedies in the future.
