Ponda: A Sunday celebration turned into a tragedy when two 17-year-old cousins drowned in the Dudhsagar River at Tambdimol, Collem. The incident, which came to light at 11 am, adds to a list of drownings at the destination.
The deceased have been identified as Shivlingappa Manjunath Dandin and Sagar Basavraj Dandin, both natives of Bagalkot district in Karnataka. The cousins had arrived in Collem two days prior to spend their vacation with their fathers, who reside in the area for work.
On Sunday, they visited the Dudhsagar River at Tambdimol for an outing. The teenagers entered the water to swim and were reportedly swept into deeper sections of the river. Within moments, both the youths disappeared beneath the surface, causing panic among relatives and locals present at the spot.
After receiving information, Collem police and fire and emergency services personnel rushed to the scene, launched a search operation and recovered the bodies from the river.
The drowning marks the second fatal incident in the Dudhsagar-Collem belt in eight days, bringing the recent death toll to six youths and raising questions about safety measures at the tourist spot.
On June 13, four youngsters from the Vasco region, aged between 19 and 25, died while swimming in the Dudhsagar River near the bridge at Metawada, Collem. Among the victims were three brothers from Chicalim-Mormugao.
The back-to-back incidents have sparked concern among residents, who said that the river’s calm surface masks currents, drop-offs and deep pockets of water. Despite repeated incidents over the years, locals said that warning systems, surveillance and preventive measures remain insufficient. The deaths have reignited demands for safety protocols, deployment of lifeguards, installation of warning signboards and restrictions on swimming in stretches of the river.
