SANGUEM: A picnic ended in tragedy for six boys from Borda-Margao, when two of their colleagues drowned at Selaulim River at Damal-Sanguem, about 5 kms from Sanguem town, on Sunday afternoon.
According to reports, Ashwin Inacio Noronha and Ralph Succour Pereira, both 18 years, along with another six boys from Borda went for a picnic at Selaulim River on Sunday afternoon.
After reaching the picnic spot, where the water runs very deep, all the eight boys went for a bath and at about 1.30 pm, all the boys reportedly decided to have lunch and were about to head to the river bank with six of them already mid way to the river bank.
While midway to the river bank, Ashwin reportedly saw his friend Ralph drowning and crying for help and he rushed to his help. However, both Ashwin and Ralph drowned. Last minute efforts by another member from the group, Joyston Andrade to save his two friends from drowning proved futile. Joyston however managed to get both the bodies to the river bank.
Ralph is reportedly the only son in the family and had just answered HSSC exams, while Ashwin, who has another brother and four sisters, was to answer the forthcoming SSC exams.
Ironically since long, the villagers from Damal sensing tragedy in waiting at the Selaulim River given the large number of youth going for picnic at the spot, had urged the police and other authorities to stop swimming at the dangerous spot as the water at the spot chosen by the picnickers runs very deep.
Villagers claim that as the picnickers are not aware of the topography of the Selaulim River, which the picnickers have nicknamed ‘Blue Sea’, the villagers since long have been demanding to erect signboards of ‘no swimming’ and other regulations by the authorities. However, authorities reportedly failed to listen to the villagers demands which ultimately claimed the lives of the two youth, alleged the villagers.
After seeing Sunday’s tragedy, the villagers have once again appealed the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to stop swimming at the Selaulim River.
