Ahmedabad: Three Youths Drown After AMC Boat Capsizes in Shakri Lake

Ahmedabad | Gujarat — Ahmedabad witnessed a heart-wrenching tragedy on Tuesday evening when three youths drowned in Shakri Lake, Sarkhej, after an Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) boat capsized during an ill-fated ride. The victims, identified as Pappu Chavda, Vishal Chavda, and Radhe, were among four friends who entered the under-construction lake premises. While one stepped off the boat within minutes, the other three continued before their boat overturned, dragging them into the deep waters.

The incident triggered panic in the area, with fire brigade teams rushing to the spot at 5:42 pm. After a two-hour-long operation involving floodlights, rescue boats, and over ten fire personnel, all three bodies were eventually recovered.

“We found two bodies quickly, but due to deep water and poor visibility, the search for the third youth took two hours,” said Prahladnagar Fire Station Officer Manubhai Solanki.

The grief-stricken scene turned unbearable as the mother of one of the deceased cried out, “My son, let me go… let me go…” sending shivers through onlookers.

Locals Question Lack of Security

Residents expressed anger over the absence of security guards at Shakri Lake, despite its frequent public presence. Balwant Parmar, a passerby who heroically jumped in to save the youths, recalled, “Someone shouted that a boy had fallen into the lake. I know how to swim, so I jumped in. We managed to bring out two of the bodies, but it was too late.”

His account highlighted not only the courage of locals but also AMC’s negligence in ensuring safety measures.

As news spread, Vejalpur MLA Amit Thakar, Zone-7 DCP Shivam Verma, and Standing Committee Chairman Devang Dani rushed to the site.

MLA Thakar admitted the situation demanded answers. “The water level rose due to rains. The boat here was used to clear dirt from the lake. The boys should not have taken it. Still, how they accessed it and why no supervision was in place will be investigated.”

DCP Shivam Verma confirmed that a probe is underway:“Three youths went into the lake in the evening, and the boat overturned. Two bodies were recovered immediately; the third was found later. We are investigating how and why they accessed the boat.”

A Preventable Tragedy?

The Shakri Lake accident has raised serious concerns about AMC’s accountability in managing under-construction lakes and water bodies. Locals say this was a disaster waiting to happen, given the absence of warning signs, security guards, or barricades.