Shillong, June 13: Tragedy struck at Juhu beach in Mumbai when a group of five boys disregarded the lifeguard’s warnings and ventured into the sea on Monday. Despite rescue efforts, only one of the boys was saved, and the search for the remaining four was ultimately called off after an extensive five-hour operation, according to the police.
The group, consisting of eight individuals on a picnic outing, had three members who wisely refrained from entering the water, the police added.
Juhu Beach had been closed to the public in light of the approaching Cyclone Biparjoy, along with several other coastal areas in Mumbai and Maharashtra.
The incident occurred between 4:30 pm and 5 pm when the five boys accessed the sea via the jetty from the Juhu Koliwada side. Despite the lifeguard’s attempts to warn them by blowing his whistle, the boys ignored the signals and proceeded into the water, as reported by the police.
The four missing boys are identified as residents of the Datta Mandir area in Vakola, Santacruz East.
At the time of the incident, there were a total of four lifeguards stationed at the beach, with an additional 12 personnel overseeing the entire area.
Upon receiving information about the incident, a fire tender, Mumbai Police, and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) workers promptly arrived at the scene to commence rescue operations.
The sole survivor, Dipesh Karan (16), managed to hold onto a dangling rope near the jetty. The missing friends have been identified as Dharmesh Bhujiyav (15), Jay Tajbhariya (16), and brothers Manish (15) and Shubham Bhoganiya (16).
