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2 drown in Vadodara beach off Mahisagar River; 7 rescued

Police identified the deceased as Jay Joglekar (22) and Krishna Vijay Rajput (23).

Officials said that some of the seven rescued persons also knew swimming and therefore managed to “hold on to each other”.Officials said that some of the seven rescued persons also knew swimming and therefore managed to “hold on to each other”. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

A morning outing of nine friends to beat the summer heat took a tragic turn as two young men drowned while seven others were rescued when the group was swept away into the Mahisagar river at Kotna riverside spot, popularly known as Kotna beach in Vadodara on Monday
According to the police, nine friends – all residents of Vadodara – went to Kotna on Monday and took a dip in the water.

However, strong river currents swept them away. While seven were rescued by local residents and emergency responders, two youths could not be saved. Officials said that some of the seven rescued persons also knew swimming and therefore managed to “hold on to each other”.

Police identified the deceased as Jay Joglekar (22) and Krishna Vijay Rajput (23). A team from Nandesari police station reached the spot along with fire department personnel. The bodies of the deceased were retrieved by the search and rescue teams during the day and sent to Gotri Hospital for postmortem examination.

One of the victims, Jay Joglekar, was the son of a BJP worker from the city. Political leaders, including Raopura MLA Balkrishna Shukla and other elected representatives, visited the hospital to extend condolences to the family.

The incident has once again raised concerns over swimming in rivers, which has caused similar accidents in the past. A senior officer of Vadodara rural police said, “With rising temperatures, crowds are heading to water bodies for a swim. There have been adequate awareness messages and warnings put up at such locations as it is not safe to swim in surging rivers. Yet, people take the risk… in the present incident, we have lodged an accidental death case.”

Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More

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