01 October,2026 10:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The students were on an educational trip from Alandi to Diveagar when the incident occurred. Representational Pic/File
Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi on Thursday called for better safety measures at Diveagar beach in Raigad district after eight students from Alandi in Pune district drowned during a picnic. Dalvi said the incident was "heartbreaking" and questioned whether adequate safety precautions were in place at the popular tourist destination, reported the PTI.
The students, from private coaching class Winners Academy in Alandi, were part of a 48-member group that included 25 boys, 17 girls and six teachers. Eight students entered the sea and were swept away after apparently misjudging the depth of the water and the current, police said. All eight bodies were recovered.
The students had travelled to Diveagar for a trip. Eight students reportedly drowned after being unable to judge the depth of the water.
Dalvi said the local administration should take adequate safety precautions at Diveagar, noting that similar incidents had occurred at the tourist destination in the past, as per the PTI.
He said young students may not be able to assess risks associated with the sea, including high tide, water depth and currents.
According to Dalvi, students should have been properly guided and cautioned against entering the sea without adequate supervision and safety arrangements, the news agency reported.
He also urged the local MLA and MP to look into the issue and ensure appropriate measures are put in place.
The students were on an educational trip from Alandi to Diveagar when the incident occurred. According to police, the group was visiting the beach under the Dighi Coastal Police Station limits.
After the students were swept away, local residents and rescue teams launched a search operation. The bodies were subsequently recovered and police and local authorities began legal and administrative procedures.
Diveagar is a popular tourist destination in Raigad district, known for its beach and temples.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated by the authorities.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar expressed grief over the deaths of the students.
(with PTI inputs)
