Four children drown in Maharashtra’s Sindphana river

Four children aged nine to 12 drowned in the Sindphana river in Maharashtra’s Beed district Sunday. Police said they are looking into allegations that illegal sand excavation had deepened the part of the river where the boys swam, leading to their deaths.

The incident came to light around 8.30 pm on Sunday in Shahjanpur Chakla village of Georai taluka, cops said. The deceased boys, all from families of sugarcane labourers in nearby villages, have been identified as Akash Ram Sonavane (11), Ganesh Namdeo Inkar (9), Amol Sanjay Kolekar (12) and Bablu Ginaji Vakte (11).

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Georai police said the parents of all four boys were in Karnataka when the incident took place. Assistant Inspector Sandeep Kale said, “The boys left their homes around 4 pm. We believe they entered the waters for a swim or to catch fish and crabs. In the evening, relatives and locals found their bodies in the river. Autopsy confirmed that they all died due to drowning.”

Another police officer said, “The villagers have alleged that the boys drowned at a spot which has grown deeper due to illegal sand mining. This allegation is being investigated.”