A Sunday morning swim turned fatal for two teenagers from Bagalkot, Karnataka, who drowned in the Dudhsagar river at Tambdimal, Collem. The de ceased, identified as Shiv lingappa Manjunath Dandin and Sagar Bassavraj Dandin, entered the water despite warnings from a 15-year-old companion about the river’s recent fatal history. The incident, which oc curred between 10:30 am and 11 am, comes just days after four youth lost their lives a kilometre down stream, sending shockwaves through the local community. Both Shivlingappa and Sagar were students pur suing ITI and vocational streams in Karnataka.
According to local sources, the family of one of the victims resides in Collem, while the other was their neighbour back in Bagalkot. The duo had arrived in Goa four days ago and was scheduled to re turn home on Monday. Police sources revealed that the teenagers left their residence in the morning after in forming family members that they were heading to a nearby play ground. Instead, they snuck away to the river to beat the intense summer heat. They were accom panied by a 15-year-old local boy who tried to dissuade them from entering the water, specifically citing last week’s fatal drowning of three brothers and their friend. Ignoring the warning, the two teens ventured into the river and were pulled under by the cur rents.
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The 15-year-old compan ion, who had remained safely on the riverbank, rushed back to the village to alert the family. A search operation was launched, and the bodies were recovered by person nel from the Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services. The Collem Police ar rived at the spot, conducted the panchnama, and registered a case of unnatu ral death. Local residents expressed deep anguish over the recurring fatalities, demanding stricter monitoring and warning signages along the treacherous stretches of the river. The Dudhsagar River, a vital tributary of the Mhadei and a drinking water lifeline for Ponda and Tiswadi, is gaining a grim reputation as a “deadly riv er.” Despite strict bans on swimming and the presence of warning signs, seven lives—mostly students—have been lost to drowning this summer season alone.
The appeal of the river’s cold water as a respite from the heat often draws large groups of youths on Saturdays and Sundays, frequently without their par ents’ knowledge. Authorities have installed danger zone signboards and physi cal gates at locations like the Okambi River, yet visitors continue to ignore these warnings or find alternative entry points along the 36km stretch from Collem to Ponda. Sunday’s incident marks the third major tragedy in the area this season. On May 10, IIT Farmagudi student Imtiaz Hussein from Ladakh drowned at Okambi River. Just over a week ago, on June 13, four youths from Vasco—including three siblings—perished at Metawada, Collem. Local authorities are struggling to contain the crisis along the river stretch running from Collem to Ponda. Alongside panch member Saish Naik, Collem-Shigao sarpanch Govind Shi gaonkar said, “We are deeply grieved and concerned over this tragic incident. I urge all parents and students to understand that there is a strict ban on river bathing. If you do not know how to swim, and if the background of the river ba sin is unknown to you, please do not enter the water to bathe.” “The Panchayat has strictly installed warning signboards everywhere on the clear direction of the Deputy Collector.
I fervently appeal to parents and locals not to send your children to the river for picnics so we do not see a repeat of such tragedies. This is already the second major incident in our jurisdiction after June 13, when four precious lives were lost to drowning,” he added. GOACAN convenor Roland Martins said, “More awareness needs to be created among parents and school students, strongly advising them not to venture into the river for bathing. We have already held extensive meetings in this regard with the Dharbandora Deputy Collector to install ‘bathing is dangerous’ warning signs across the river stretches. However, I will meet with the administration again very soon so that more coordinated efforts can be put in to prevent such incidents in the future.” Local resident Shivdas Naik said, “There is an urgent need to create awareness through teachers at the school level to stop students from bathing in the river. Once you enter a cold water body, your body’s resistance power rapidly weak ens, which directly leads to sudden exhaustion and drowning.”
