Boys swept away after misjudging the depth of the water and the strength of the current, say police

Pune, Oct 2 Shock and disbelief gripped Alandi, near Pune, as residents gathered to say their final goodbyes to eight students who drowned in the sea during a picnic to Diveagar in Maharashtra's Raigad district.

All eight boys, aged 16, were students of the local coaching institute "Winners Academy" and had travelled to the popular beach town with their group. They were studying in Classes XI and XII.

Their bodies were brought to Alandi on Friday morning, where a large crowd of grieving relatives, friends and residents had assembled.

"The tragedy has left us all in shock. Residents and traders have given a call for a bandh in Alandi on Friday to mourn the deaths of the students," said a resident.

The last rites of four of the boys, Rajveer Vahile, Soham Bhandwalkar, Sumit Ahire and Tanmay Vahile, were performed at a crematorium in the town in the morning. Two more students will also be cremated in Alandi, while the bodies of Kaustubh Daund and Yash Wankhede will be taken to Rahuri in Ahilyanagar district and Amaravati, respectively, for their final rites, family sources said.

According to police, a group of 48 people, comprising 25 boys, 17 girls and six teachers, had gone on a picnic to Diveagar, a tourist town known for its beach and historic temples, on Thursday. Eight of the boys went into the sea and were swept away after misjudging the depth of the water and the strength of the current.

Search and rescue teams reached the spot after an alert was raised and recovered the bodies, police said.