A picnic party turned into a tragedy when five youths drowned to death in Zilpi Lake under the jurisdiction of Hingna Police Station on Sunday evening. Quicksand at the base proved fatal for the youths who were indulging in fun and frolic. However, in a flash, the situation at the serene location turned tragic as the youths started drowning in a bid to save each other. The deceased have been identified as Rishikesh Anil Parade (21), Rahul Arun Meshram (21), Shantanu Armarkar (22), Vaibhav Vaidya (24) and Nitin Kumbhare (21), all residents of Wathoda and Pardi areas. According to the police, a group of six friends arrived at the lake on four motorcycles to revel in the serene beauty of the surroundings. Their picnic began with a stroll along the banks of the lake. However, their plans took a ghastly turn when they decided to venture into the water to escape the pesky heat, said Dr Prajaktam Lende, a resident of Tiranga Square, while narrating the sequence of events while talking to The Hitavada.

 

He too had gone to the lake in his Tata Harrier SUV to drop his driver Rishikesh Parade who wanted to join his friends in the picnic. As the hand brake of the SUV malfunctioned, Dr Lende also joined the youths. At around 5 pm, the youths waded into the water. During enjoyment, one of the youth found himself in distress and began to drown. In a desperate bid to save their friend, others rushed to his aid, plunging towards him. The rescue operation turned fatal which resulted in the drowning of all five individuals, said police. Dr Lende was lucky as fishermen present at the lake saved him in nick of time.

 

Realising the gravity of the situation, the remaining three members of the group, who had refrained from entering the water, immediately alerted the police. The Hingna police led by Police Inspector Vishal Kale rushed to the spot and launched a search operation with the help of local divers. The bodies of the victims were recovered from the depths of Zilpi lake before 10 pm. Devastated family members and friends gathered at the scene after the news of drowning. Hingna police have registered a case of accidental death in connection with the incident. The bodies were sent to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) where a post-mortem will be performed on Monday. It may be worth mentioning that the Zilpi lake, a famous picnic spot, is slowly turning into a death trap for the visitors as many incidents of drowning have been reported in the past 10 years. Exercising caution and adhering to safety guidelines while visiting the lake is the most important factor, said a police official.