Mumbai: Two teenage collegians — part of a group of four that had ventured to a quarry in Dahisar East for a swim — drowned on Saturday morning. Locals pointed out that casualties are reported at the location during rainy season every year as visitors could find it difficult to ascertain the depth of rain water accumulating in the quarrying pits.The two deceased — Om Singh, 19, and Piyush Gupta, 18, — were FYBCom students at a Kandivli-based college. The duo, along with two of their classmates, reportedly skipped college on Saturday to head for Shaikh Khadaan compound, which is located uphill close to Sanjay Gandhi National Park’s boundary. Police said one of the youngsters had been to the location before and led the group.“Initially, a group of 12 collegians had planned the outing, but most of them dropped out later. The outing was planned a couple of days ago,” said a relative of one of the boys. The quartet met at a mall in Dahisar East and began the ascent. A family member said one of the youngsters had sent photos of the location over Snapchat to his friends around 8.20am.Police said the group did not know how to swim. They entered one of the quarrying pits which is estimated to be filled with rain water between 15 to 20 feet. Singh and Gupta ventured further. When they had difficulty breathing, their classmates, who were closer to the edge, tried to pull them out by throwing in their college bags. But they were unsuccessful. One of the survivors called up the police control room. Dahisar police officers and fire brigade personnel rushed to the location. After a search, Singh and Gupta were brought out around 10.20am and moved to the Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.Singh, an only child, lived in Santacruz with his family. Gupta, who is survived by his mother and three brothers, resided at Charkop. His father passed away a few years ago. Family members of both the boys said the local administration should put up cautionary signboards at the location and barricade it as it is dangerous.
