Eleven people, including seven teenagers drowned in separate incidents in Devbhumi Dwarka, Kheda and Mahisagar districts of Gujarat following Dhuleti celebrations, police said. Dhuleti, a festival of colours, is celebrated a day after Holi in the state.
In Devbhumi Dwarka, five boys who entered the water for bathing after celebrating Dhuleti, drowned in the Triveni river after misjudging its depth, police said. They were identified as Jit Luhar (16), Himanshu Rathod (17), Bhupen Bagda (16), Dhaval Chandegara (16) and Hitarth Goswami (16), all local residents. Fire brigade personnel from Bhanvad and Khambhalia towns along with local divers retrieved the bodies, Bhanvad police station's sub- inspector Nikunj Joshi said.
Two teenagers drowned in a lake near Zarol village in Vaso taluka of Kheda district after celebrating Dhuleti, said a local police official. He identified the deceased as Pritesh Solanki (15) and Sagar Solanki (14), both residents of Zarol village.
In neighbouring Mahisagar district, four unidentified youngsters lost their lives after drowning in the Mahisagar river near Wanakbori dam. “After attending a fair near the dam, these youngsters, who had come in a car, got into the river to bathe. After they went under, passersby alerted police and fire brigade. The bodies were recovered after an hour-long operation by divers,” said an official of Balasinor police station.
