VASCO/PANJIM/PORIEM: Family members of 16-year-old Class XI science student Rahul Bind staged a protest outside Deep Vihar Higher Secondary School at Headland Sada on Saturday morning, demanding justice over his death during a school trekking outing to the Tonir-Kajredhat waterfall in Sanvordem-Sattari.
The protest saw relatives and family members gathering outside the school premises, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident and demanding action against those responsible. Among those present were Raju’s relatives Mukesh Bind and brother Abhay.
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Sources said the family is likely to pursue legal action against the school, alleging negligence in how the outing was organised and the students were supervised. Police personnel were deployed at the spot to prevent any untoward incident and maintain law and order.
Mormugao DySP Gurudas Kadam, who was present at the site, spoke to the agitated family members and assured them that an FIR had already been registered in connection with the incident, including allegations of negligence against the school.
Kadam assured the family that the police would investigate the circumstances leading to the death and take appropriate action based on the investigation’s findings.
The death of Rahul has left his family and the local community in shock. The incident has since raised questions about the safety arrangements and supervision provided to students during such outings, particularly during the monsoon.
Deep Vihar School manager Sanjay Banaulikar said the incident was unfortunate and expressed his concern over the loss of the student.
Banaulikar said the school would look into the circumstances surrounding the incident and conduct an inquiry. He maintained that the incident was unfortunate and that the school would investigate the matter.
The family, however, continued to demand accountability and maintained that the circumstances leading to Rahul’s death needed to be thoroughly examined.
Meanwhile Valpoi Police have registered a case of negligence against four teachers and two tour operators, alleging serious lapses in ensuring the safety and security of the students.
A total of 25 students were accompanied by four teachers and two tour operators.
According to the authorities, the group was taken to a wildlife area without proper permission and was subsequently allowed to proceed towards a waterfall and trekking route despite the potential risks associated with the location.
The case has been registered on charges of negligence, with authorities alleging failure to take adequate safety precautions, ensure proper supervision of the students and comply with mandatory permissions and safety regulations governing visits to sensitive and potentially hazardous areas.
The incident has also raised serious questions about the arrangements made for the school excursion and trekking outing, particularly regarding student supervision, safety measures and compliance with required permissions.
Police have arrested the two tour operators in connection with the case, while the role and responsibilities of the four teachers named in the case are being investigated.
The investigation is being conducted under the supervision of Valpoi PI Vidyesh Pilgaonkar under the overall supervision of SDPO Bicholim Sridevi B V and SP North Harish Madkaikar.
Police said further investigation is underway to establish the exact circumstances that led to the student’s death and determine the extent of negligence and responsibility of those involved in organising and supervising the excursion and trekking activity.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Education decided to issue a show-cause notice to the school management and seek strict action against those found guilty of ignoring government advisories and endangering the lives of students.
“I strongly condemn the excursion. It was entirely uncalled for and directly violated active standard operating procedures (SOPs), media warnings, and forest department guidelines. We will issue a show-cause notice to the school management, seeking explanation as to why the students were sent to a restricted water body without proper precautions or communication with the forest department,” Director of Education, Shailesh Zingde said.
Zingde emphasised that while the majority of the region’s higher secondary schools strictly adhere to safety protocols, the department takes a zero-tolerance approach to these recurring, preventable incidents.
“Because Deepvihar Higher Secondary School is a private institution, the Directorate of Education will first evaluate the management’s formal response to the upcoming show-cause notice before determining the next administrative actions and demanding further internal disciplinary measures,” he added.
Meanwhile, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) for Goa, Kamal Datta, said that the students and teachers, accompanied by a tour guide, entered the wildlife sanctuary illegally without obtaining the required permissions or informing the forest department.
“The group surreptitiously accessed the area via a village road that is not typically used by tourists, intending to bathe in the waterfall. Tragically, one student entered the waterfall area, where the water was deep and the current was very strong, and was swept away,” Datta said.
Following the incident, the group contacted the forest department and emergency services. A joint rescue operation was launched by the forest department and the fire services, successfully rescuing the remaining students and teachers.
“The Forest Department has put up clear signages at all waterfalls, and public warnings have been widely shared across social media platforms. Additionally, the District Collector has issued prohibitory orders under Section 144, covering waterfalls both inside and outside forest areas,” the PCCF said.
He added that only a limited number of specific waterfalls, such as Dudhsagar, are open to the public via approved trekking routes.
“Tour operators are strictly required to be registered and must obtain formal permission from the forest department. It is imperative that anyone planning to visit the protected areas must contact the local Forest Department range or beat office to verify safety conditions and obtain the mandatory approvals,” he said.
“To prevent such incidents, we have established a strict norm requiring groups of 10 or more to be accompanied by a certified local tour guide whom we have trained to navigate the specific terrain and identify potential dangers,” Datta said.
