Two people died, one injured due to drowning near Haji Ali in Mumbai on Saturday, June 28. The incident occurred at Lotus Jetty in Worli during the asthi visarjan (ashes immersion) ceremony. The police received a distress call at around 5:40 pm, and police personnel and local fishermen began a search operation.
According to officials from Tardeo Police Station, three men were swept away by strong currents while participating in the ritual. Police, with the help of local fishermen, managed to pull all three individuals from the sea. After the following incident, they were rushed to Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central for treatment
The deceased were identified as Santosh Vishweshwar (51) and Kunal Kokate (45). Another injured person, Sanjay Sarvankar (58), is under treatment at the hospital and his condition is set to be stable. All three are residents of Delisle Road and had visited the spot for the immersion ritual following the demise of Vishweshwar’s mother. Despite being advised by on-duty personnel to avoid venturing into the water due to rough sea conditions, the trio proceeded with the ritual.
As per police officials, Vishweshwar entered the sea for the immersion. When he began to struggle, Kokate rushed in to help, only to be overpowered by the waves himself. Sarvankar then jumped in to save both, but also found himself in trouble.
With help from local fishermen, the police launched a swift rescue operation and managed to pull all three men from the water. They were immediately rushed to Nair Hospital. However, hospital sources confirmed that both Vishweshwar and Kokate were declared dead before arrival. Sarvankar, who survived, is currently under treatment and reported to be in stable condition.
Senior Inspector Neelima Kulkarni of Tardeo Police Station stated that warnings were issued at the location, but the group ignored them, leading to the unfortunate incident. The police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the drowning, including potential lapses in adherence to safety protocols.
Authorities have urged citizens to strictly follow safety advisories during religious rituals, especially near water bodies, to avoid such preventable tragedies.