8 students drown during Pune coaching class trip to beach in Maharashtra's Raigad
A private coaching class trip from Alandi in Pune to Diveagar turned into a tragedy after eight students who had gone on a picnic drowned. Initial information suggests that all eight students drowned after entering the water.
People gather at Raigad’s Diveagar Beach after the bodies of seven students were recovered. (Photo: India Today)
Mumbai,Oct 1, 2026 20:18 IST
A picnic turned into a tragedy in Maharashtra’s Raigad district after eight students from a private coaching academy in Pune drowned while swimming at Diveagar beach on Thursday. All eight bodies have been recovered and the students were declared dead.
The group of 48 -- comprising 25 boys, 17 girls and six teachers from Winners Academy for 11th and 12th in Alandi, Pune -- had arrived at Dighi Sagari in Diveagar for a tour.
In a heartbreaking video accessed by India Today, the bodies can be seen lying on the beach as groups of students frantically attempt to resuscitate them. Police officials at the scene can also be seen joining the desperate efforts to revive the students, as some of their friends break down.
According to authorities, the students entered the sea to swim when eight of them were swept away. The students were reportedly unable to accurately judge the current and depth of the water.
Rescue operations were launched immediately after the incident, with local residents, police and the administration joining the search. All eight bodies were subsequently recovered.
The victims have been identified as Tanmay Dattatray Vahile, Sumit Bharat Ahire, Pranav Ramdas Bansode, Kaivalya Satish Wasankar, Rajveer Yuvraj Vahile, Yash Kiran Wankhede, Soham Tukaram Bhandvalkar and Kaustubh Sandeep Daund.
PROMPT ACTION BY LOCAL WATER SPORTS OPERATOR
As news of the incident spread, panic broke out among local residents and tourists. Bhau Maruti Salunkhe, owner of Bhau Maruti Salunkhe Mahakali Water Sports in Diveagar, and his team immediately launched a search operation.
Risking their own lives, Bhau Salunkhe and his team made relentless efforts to retrieve the bodies of all eight students from the water.
Upon receiving information about the tragedy, Assistant Police Inspector Santosh Awati from the Dighi Sagari Borli Panchatan Police Station rushed to the spot with his team. With the help of local villagers, the police recovered the bodies and shifted them to the Primary Health Centre in Borli Panchatan for further medical and legal procedures.
Police have registered a case in connection with the incident, and further investigation is underway.
- Ends
Divyesh Singh is one of the leading crime journalists in the country. A seasoned investigative journalist with experience of over 15 years in journalism covering Crime, Internal security, Defence, Central Agencies, and Rural issues, he has a number of exclusive breaks and investigative stories to his name. Presently working with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Aajtak / India Today based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Some of his stories to recall are 'Confessions of members from radical organisation in a bomb blast case in which they had been acquitted, Fodder scam in drought affected areas of Maharashtra, Crypto currency scam worth hundreds of crores ,Financial scam targeting US citizens, Black-marketing of life saving Covid19 drugs'. Many such investigations have been appreciated by law enforcement agencies and he has been awarded and appreciated twice by the Maharashtra police for helping the agency crack two serious cases, one a financial scam worth crores and another a double murder case. His coverage in the actor Sushant Singh Rajput death case brought to light the facts in the case, while reported a series of exclusives in the Yes Bank DHFL case and Iqbal Mirchi case on India Today / Aajtak. His coverage on crime underworld and narcotics has been extensive and indepth.
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