The boy drowned while the adult members of the group were using facilities nearby
Gopal was part of a 40-member group originally from Uttar Pradesh and currently living in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area, according to Panchavati police. By the time we found him, nearly 30-40 minutes had passed.
Eventually, we contacted the police, who assured us they were on their way,” Rohit Gupta, a member of the group, said, adding, “We continued searching for Gopal. Police identified the deceased as Gopal Umesh Gupta. The tragedy unfolded near the riverbank while the adult members of the group were using facilities nearby. Several children accompanying the pilgrims were playing close to the water when they suddenly began struggling in the river. Following the incident, members of the group alleged that safety infrastructure along the riverbank was inadequate. They demanded the installation of protective railings and other preventive measures to avoid similar tragedies. They also claimed that immediate assistance was not readily available when the incident occurred.
The group had arrived in Panchavati on Friday to visit temples in the city.
“We tried calling emergency helplines 100, 104 and 108 but could not get through immediately.
Sanjay Kanade, leading fireman at the Panchavati fire station, said family members and local youths, who often dived into the river to collect coins offered by devotees, spotted the children in distress. They immediately rushed to help and succeeded in rescuing four boys. Moments later, the group realised that Gopal was missing.