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3 engineering students drown in Godavari river, 2 others missing as group outing turns tragic in Andhra

The students, from a private university based in Amaravati, entered the river thinking it was shallow, said a senior officer, adding, “They had no idea that it was deep. Of the two who escaped, one knew swimming. We are not sure whether the others knew how to swim.”

2 min readHyderabadMar 21, 2026 12:10 AM IST

https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/logistics-concern-dukes-ball-owner-allays-fear-ball-shortage-county-10593020/

The students took photos before they ventured out into the water, police said. One of them stayed back on the shore, and the others walked into the water.

Three engineering students of a private college drowned in the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru district on Friday, officials said. From the group of seven, two students are still missing, while two others managed to get to safety.

“The currents were high when they went for a swim. They got washed away,” a police officer said

The students, from a private university based in Amaravati, entered the river thinking it was shallow, said a senior officer, adding, “They had no idea that it was deep. Of the two who escaped, one knew swimming. We are not sure whether the others knew how to swim.”

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has called for a thorough search and rescue operation to locate the missing students. Naidu’s son and Education Minister Nara Lokesh said in a social media post that the search was on for the missing students. “The state stands firmly with the families,” Lokesh wrote in a post on X.

Police have registered a case of unnatural death under Section 194 of the BNSS.

The students had entered the river for a photoshoot as part of Ugadi celebrations, another officer said. The students arrived in Bhadraachalam on Thursday and offered prayers at Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Devasthanam for Ugadi celebrations. On Friday, they walked to the Kollugudem sand ramp and opted out of spending their time there because they wanted to be close to a point where the river had high waters.

The students took photos before they ventured out into the water, police said. One of them stayed back on the shore, and the others walked into the water. “There was only one who swam back to safety. The other student who stayed back survived, too,” an officer said.

Nikhila Henry

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

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