Seven feared drowned in Maharashtra; search operations under way

Seven persons have been reported missing in two drowning incidents in the financial capital of Mumbai and Chandrapur district of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra as rains returned to the state after a week-long hiatus.

The Mumbai incident was reported from Marve Creek in Malad in the far western suburbs of the metropolis. 

Five boys of the age group 12-16 were caught in the choppy waters around one kilometre off the coast around 0930 hours.

Two of them Krushna Harijan (16) and Ankush Shivhare (13) were rescued by the public. 

Three others  - Shubham Jaiswal (12), Nikhil Kayamkur (13), and Ajay Harijan (12) have been reported missing. 

Aerial search and rescue by the Indian Coast Guard has been mounted even as the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation is looking for them along the shores. 

Meanwhile, reports from Chandrapur said that four persons drowned in the Ghodazari lake, around 100 kilometres from the district headquarters. 

The Chandrapur police and disaster management team have launched a search operation to trace them.

The men have been identified as Manish Srirame (26), Dheeraj Zade (27), Sanket Modak (25) and Chetan Mandade (17).

The incident took place while they were taking a selfie.