‘We are still in disbelief’: Mumbai ferry accident victim’s friends mourn a ‘very genuine man’

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Wednesday released a list of the 13 people, including at least two minors, who were killed after their ferry boat which was en route to Elephanta Caves collided with the Navy speedboat after it “lost control” during “engine trials”. Among those victims, data showed that the highest number of deceased (10) were taken to the Indian Naval Hospital Ship (INHS) Asvini in Karanje, two to J J Hospital, and an eight-year-old, was taken to the JNPT Hospital.

Deepchand Waghchoure was among the two victims who were taken to J J Hospital.

‘A very genuine man who helped everyone’

A plumber by profession, he was the sole breadwinner of his family of four. The resident of Govandi is survived by his wife, 14-year-old son, and a 17-year-old daughter.

“Around midnight, I started getting calls that Deepchand had gone missing. As soon as I found out, we started making calls to our friends to see if he was with them. While doing so, a friend told us that Deepchand had informed him that he was planning to go to Elephanta Caves. Since we had heard about the accident which had happened earlier in the evening, we rushed to the Colaba police station, in search of answers,” said Devanand Kharat, his childhood friend.

Deepchand Waghchoure. (Express Photo)

After visiting his home in Nerul and then going to the Colaba Police Station, Kharat’s enquiries led him to J J J Hospital, where police officers said that two unidentified bodies had been recovered. “Around 4 am, we reached J J Hospital and then, identified his body. It was only after that we informed his family what had happened,” said Kharat, adding, “Iss hadsa see bohot bada dhakka laga hai (We have been hurt so much by this tragedy). His family and all of us are still in disbelief that this has happened.”

While Waghchoure worked as a plumber, he also did part-time work as a real estate agent. He was a native of Nashik, and he had been living with his family in Govandi for several years.

“His oldest child is only 17 and he was the only earning member of the family. They are still in shock and we don’t know how they will sustain themselves now. I have known him since his childhood. He was a very genuine man who helped everyone. But now we don’t know who will help his family,” said Kharat.

According to Waghchoure’s family, they also lost nearly 20 tola of gold in the accident as he always wore chains and a bracelet. “We are still enquiring about the same with the police but they said that not much of it has been procured,” said his childhood friend.

Meanwhile, the other 12 victims of the Mumbai boat accident have been identified as Nidhi Ahire (8), Rakesh Ahire (34), Harshada Ahire (31), Mahi Pawara (3), Shafina Pathan (34), Pravin Sharma (34), Mangesh Kelshikar (33), Mohammad Qureshi (35), Rama Devi Gupta (50), Mahendra Singh Shekhawat (31), Pragya Kamble (39) and T Deepak from the Navy (between 40 to 45 years).