Vadodara : Two youths drown at Kotna beach, safety concerns resurface

Vadodara | Gujarat — A morning outing turned tragic on Tuesday after two young men drowned while bathing at Kotna beach along the Mahisagar river near Vadodara, triggering panic among locals and renewing questions about safety measures at the popular riverside spot.

According to officials, a group of nine friends had reached Kotna beach in the early hours of May 5 to beat the summer heat. What began as a routine dip quickly turned into a life-threatening emergency when sudden drowning incidents unfolded in the river’s deeper stretches. While seven members of the group were rescued with the help of locals and emergency responders, two youths lost their lives.

The deceased have been identified as Jai Subodh Joglekar and Krishna Vijay Rajput, both residents of Vadodara. Authorities confirmed that the bodies were recovered by the fire department and shifted to Gotri Hospital for post-mortem examination.

Rescue teams rush as chaos grips beach

Officials from the Nandesari police station and the Vadiwadi fire department rushed to the spot immediately after receiving the alert. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as bystanders gathered and rescue efforts were launched.

Fire personnel managed to pull out the bodies after a search operation in the river. The police then took custody and began further legal procedures.

A senior fire officer said the group appeared to have ventured into a deeper patch of the river. “Some of the youths knew swimming and helped rescue others, which prevented further casualties,” he said.

Local leaders visit hospital

The tragedy has deeply shaken residents of Vadodara, particularly as one of the deceased was the son of a BJP worker. As news spread, Ward No. 7 Corporator and Dandak Balkrishna Shukla and East Education Committee Chairman Minesh Pandya rushed to the hospital to console the grieving families.

Balkrishna Shukla expressed grief over the incident, saying, “Some youths had gone to bathe at Kotna beach, and a few did not know how to swim. Two of them died. This is a very sad incident for the city.”

Family members and friends gathered at the hospital, where an atmosphere of mourning prevailed.

Questions raised over safety arrangements

The incident has once again highlighted safety concerns at Kotna beach, a location that attracts visitors during the summer months due to rising temperatures. Locals say such accidents have occurred in the past, especially when water levels and currents change unexpectedly.

Police officials confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the drowning and assess whether additional safety measures are required.