Tragedy Strikes at Dudhsagar River
In a tragic incident on Saturday morning, four youths from Vasco drowned while swimming in the Dudhsagar river near Metawada in Collem-Dharbandora. The deceased have been identified as brothers Hiranna Madar (21), Ramanna Mader (19), and Laxman Mader (19), along with their friend Vijay Sajili (19). All were residents of New Vaddem, Vasco.
Sequence of Events
The group of five youths had planned a picnic at Collem. They boarded a local train from Vasco at 7 am and arrived at the picnic spot around 9 am. The fifth youth, Rahul Harijan, who survived, recounted the harrowing events. He stated that Hiranna, the eldest sibling, called for help after finding himself in deep waters. His twin brothers Ramanna and Laxman rushed to his aid, followed by their friend Vijay. Suddenly, all four disappeared from sight.
Rahul attempted to rescue them by offering a wooden stick, but they could not reach it. The entire incident unfolded in less than five minutes. Rahul then swam to the bank and hitched a ride on a two-wheeler to the Kulem police station to report the incident and seek help.
Rescue and Recovery
Police and search and rescue teams retrieved the bodies from the river. The bodies have been sent to the South Goa district hospital in Margao for postmortem. The final rites for all four youths are scheduled for Sunday in Vasco.
Community in Mourning
The tragic loss has left the New Vaddem community in shock. Friends and family gathered to mourn the untimely deaths of the young men.
