Journalism of Courage
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TEARS DOESN’T stop flowing as the handful of survivors of the Murud beach tragedy recollect how they ventured into the sea with utter happiness, not knowing what was in store minutes later. Some of them, who woke up to find their best friends missing, couldn’t hold back their grief as they recalled the ill-fated picnic on Monday afternoon.
“I saw my friend Swapnali Sarkar drowning and rushed to save her when a big wave threw me into the sea. When I woke up, I was lying on a hospital bed, but my bestie was not there,” said Sneha Anmal, a third-year Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS) student, her voice trembling with fear and grief.
Six girls, who were rescued from drowning, were initially admitted to the rural hospital at Murud on Monday evening. Other than Nikhat Shaikh, whose parents brought her to Pune from Murud late on Monday night, the five other girls remained at the rural hospital.
They were sent in an ambulance to Sassoon General Hospital on Tuesday morning. “We had to take precautionary measures,” said Dr Ajay Taware, Medical Superintendent at Sassoon General Hospital, adding that a counselling session was held by the psychiatric team before the girls arrived. “All of them are suffering from post-traumatic stress,’’ he said.
At the Casualty Block Number 2 at Sassoon, the five girls were inconsolable and broke down the moment they saw their principal Dr Shaila Bootwala who visited them. Both third year BCS students, Alfiya Kazi, a topper in her class, and Kavita Jeena, were playing in water and do not remember what happened. “We were so excited, talking about random things until we went under water,” they said.
Alfiya’s aunt Yasmin, who was at her bedside in Sassoon, however, had a different story. “Meri bacchi ki sirf ungliya dikh rahe the jab usko bachaya gaya. (Only my girl’s fingers were visible as she was sucked into the sand in a matter of seconds, before she was saved),” she said.
First year BCS student Subhani Shaikh saw a huge wave coming and it brought with it the body of her friend. Subhani said that she doesn’t remember beyond this, as she immediately fainted. “She fainted on the spot and was also sucked into the water when locals immediately pulled her out,” said Subhani’s mother Shehnaz. Subhani has not slept the entire night and was very quiet, her mother said.
Another first year BCS student, Anuja Chatterjee, who was with the group, said that the first year students wanted to go to Imagica for a picnic but the third year students insisted on Murud. “It was fun in the bus and everything was going well until this happened. I don’t think I ever want to go to a beach again,” she said.
It was only after the principal met the girls and told them to pray for the mothers who lost their children that the girls calmed down. “You all have been given a new life but pray for those who did not get a second chance,” she said and hugged them.
