Diwali turns tragic for families after 10 drowning deaths reported in Gujarat
Updated: Nov 5th, 2024
The season of festivities was struck by grief as the Diwali week reported seven incidents of drowning in Gujarat in water bodies including lakes, rivers, canals and wells.
Ten people, including children, youth, and middle-aged persons from Kutch, Surat, Valsad, and Junagadh lost their lives in drowning.
On November 4, two siblings from a family originally from Rajasthan, working on a farm in Kutch’s Rapar, went to the Narmada canal near Gedi village. They started to drown and family members attempted to save them, but a young girl and an adult who jumped in to rescue them drowned in the process.
Deaths in Kutch
According to reports, Sher Singh Babubhai (40) and Anuja Kalukhan Jogi (17) drowned, while Shabbir Kalukhan Jogi (21) and Sarfaraz Mosam Jogi (36) are missing. Police and local residents, with the help of swimmers, have launched a search. Emergency services were called to the scene, and Rapar police also arrived to investigate.
On November 3, a father and son who went to Mandvi beach in Kutch to celebrate the New Year drowned in the sea. Kishor Maheshwari from Anjar and his son Danish entered the sea to bathe when they were caught in the waves, leading to their deaths.
With the help of local swimmers, their bodies were recovered. According to reports, 37-year-old Kishor had visited Mandvi Beach with his 13-year-old son Danish and other family members. Around 4 pm, while bathing, Dennis began to drown, and his father Kishor attempted to save him. Tragically, both father and son died.
Tragedy in Surat
Two young men visiting a gathering in Mahuvej village, Mangrol in Surat, went to bathe in the Kakrapar canal on November 4.
The water was deep, and both began to drown. Locals managed to rescue one of the men, but the other drowned. The police and fire department arrived to retrieve the body.
Three children of a farming family near Kabirvad in Ankleshwar were playing at the edge of a pond on October 29 when they slipped and fell into the water. Family members tried to rescue them, but while one boy was saved, the other two drowned.
Incidents in Valsad
On November 1, a young brother and sister bathing in a river in Bopi village, Dharampur taluka, began to drown.
Bystanders tried to rescue them, managing to save the 11-year-old sister, while the 8-year-old brother tragically drowned.
Drownings in Saurashtra
On the same day, a 13-year-old girl from Halvad’s Dhoba area fell into a well in the early morning hours and drowned. Halvad police have registered an accidental death and are investigating.
In an incident that occurred on October 30, a 55-year-old Ramesh Waghira from Choki Sorath village in Junagadh fell into the Uben River while crossing a bridge at night.
He slipped due to algae and drowned in the river. Police recorded his brother’s statement and are conducting further investigations.
Also read:
