Group selfie tips boat, three drown

Three college students died and two were hospitalised after a ferry, carrying 40 college students and two boatmen, capsized near Dahanu beach on Saturday morning. The boat's navigator has also been hospitalized; he is under police watch.

All were students of KL Ponda High School and Junior college. The incident took place at around 11.30 am when they went to the upper deck of 'Dahanu chi Rani' to take selfies, causing the boat to tip over. Dahanu Chi Rani had a capacity of only 25 passengers. The illegal ferry also did not have any life-jackets.

Sonal and Janvi Surti (not sisters), both 17, were among the deceased. They studied in Class XII. Sanskriti Mayavanshi of Class XI drowned too. All three lived in Ambedkar Nagar in Dahanu. It was the last day of college for those studying in Class XII; they had gone for a joyride after college to celebrate this.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) fished out the dead bodies while local fishermen rescued most others. Vikram Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of the Maharashtra Maritime Board, says, "We had not given permissions for ferry services." Commandant M Ajay Kumar, ICG, said, "Our chopper did air surveillance and divers found the bodies inside the capsized boat." Palghar police have arrested boat owner Dhiraj Hambirem, navigator Mahendra Hambirem and crew member Parth Hambirem.

Palghar district collector Prashant Narnaware said, "A thorough probe will be conducted and the report will be submitted to the state government."