5 Engineering Students Drown in Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh

What Happened

Five engineering students drowned in the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh's Eluru district on Friday. All were from a private university in Amaravati, Guntur district, and had entered the river for a bath.

Key Points

• 7 students entered the river; 2 survived because they could swim
• 3 bodies recovered and handed to families; 2 still being traced
• Students assumed the river was shallow — unaware of the depth and current
• CM Chandrababu Naidu directed SDRF teams to intensify search operations
• Police registered case under BNSS Section 194 (unnatural death)

Analysis

Drowning incidents in India's rivers remain tragically common, especially among young people unfamiliar with local water conditions. The Godavari's depth and flow can change unpredictably. This tragedy reignites the call for mandatory water safety awareness at educational institutions, swimming training in school curricula, and warning signage at dangerous river stretches.