PANAJI
Two elderly citizens lost their lives during a holiday trip to Goa when they allegedly ventured into rough waters at Candolim and were swept away by huge waves and undercurrents.
Goa has been on Red Alert since Wednesday with India Meteorological Department and local authorities issuing repeated advisories to stay away from water bodies.
The deceased have been identified as Prakash Doshi, 73, and Harshita Doshi, 69, both residents of Matunga, Mumbai. According to North SP Akshat Kaushal, the duo was on a morning walk on the beach when the incident occurred.
“We received a distress call around 11 am that three persons drowned off Candolim Beach. The tourists, from Mumbai, were on holiday in Goa with family and friends. Among the group of 14 people, two couples went for a morning walk on the beach when three of them were swept away by the waves,” he said.
Local bystanders immediately rushed to the scene and managed to rescue one woman, identified as Kalpana Parekh, 68, also from Mumbai.
She is currently admitted to Goa Medical College while the bodies of the deceased are preserved at the hospital for further procedures.
Kaushal said the Tourist Police Unit and lifeguard crew responded to the incident. However, it is not known whether the tourists were warned against venturing into the sea.
“The remaining two victims were recovered from the water and transported to Candolim Primary Health Centre where they were declared dead on arrival by the attending doctor. Further investigation is ongoing,” the officer said.
