4 Indian medical students drown in Russian river
Sandeep Dikshit
New Delhi, June 7
Four Indian medical students, who were studying at a university 200 km from St Petersburg, drowned in the Volkhov after getting caught by strong river current even though they were in waist-deep water and sober, reported locals at the site of the accident. A girl student was saved with the help of a life buoy from a passing ship while another boy swam back on his own. All five students involved in the accident belong to Jalgaon district of Maharashtra and were between 18 and 20 years old. “Indians, young students from polytechnic university, were sober. They just ran into waist-deep water and splashed, laughed and did not go deep. Now it is hot, there is a lot of water, the current is strong. At some point, they were swept away by the current closer to the bridge, right under the “Swimming prohibited” sign,” the chief of Novgorod prosecutor’s office, where the incident took place, told the Russian media.
Student was on video call with family
One of the students was on video call with family moments before the incident occurred. In Jalgaon, a family member told media: “When they entered the river, Jishan made a video call to his family. His father were pleading with Jishan and others to come out of the river when a strong wave swept them away.” PTI
“We, the locals, all know that it is very dangerous to swim near the bridge. There is a strong current, pits, stones and whirlpools. Apparently, they did not know. I didn’t see the moment itself, but those who saw it say that one of them (a girl) began to drown. The rest rushed to save her and everyone was carried away by the current,’’ she added.
The students were from the Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University located near the Volkhov, which was described as a “crazy river’’ by a Russian diplomat.
The MEA said its consulate in St Petersburg remains in contact with the university and is providing all possible assistance.
