Gloom descends over Malwani as bodies of 3 drowned boys found at Marve Creek

While Ajay’s body was recovered from the mangrove towards Manori, Shubham’s body was found at the spot of drowning. Jaiswal’s body was recovered near a transmission tower 200 metres from the spot. The bodies were taken to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali, where they were declared dead. The Malwani police said that after postmortem, the bodies were handed over to their families.

Mumbai: When Nikhil Sazi Kayamkur, 14, told his grandmother he would be coming back for breakfast after a Sunday morning football game in the neighbouring park, little did she know that he would never return.

Mumbai, India - July 17, 2023 : 2nd Day for Search operation for Five kids drowned in Marve Creek at Malad, in Mumbai, India, on Monday, July 17, 2023. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

Nikhil and his friends, Shubham Rajkumar Jaiswal, 14, Ajay Jitendra Harijan, 14, Krushna Jitendra Harijan, 16, and Ankush Bharat Shivare, 13, decided to make a stop at the Marve Creek, Malad West, about 100 metres away to wash up. Shubham, Nikhil and Ajay drowned there while Ankush and Krushna were rescued by the locals.

The bodies of Nikhil, Ajay and Shubham were recovered between 8 am and 11am, when the waters receded after the high tide on Monday, by the divers, police, fire brigade personnel and locals.

While Ajay’s body was recovered from the mangrove towards Manori, Shubham’s body was found at the spot of drowning. Jaiswal’s body was recovered near a transmission tower 200 metres from the spot.

The bodies were taken to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali, where they were declared dead. The Malwani police said that after postmortem, the bodies were handed over to their families.

“We have filed an accidental death report (ADR) as there appears to be no foul play involved. Even postmortem reports have confirmed the cause of deaths to be drowning,” said Chimaji Adhav, senior police inspector of Malwani police station.

The boys were close friends and neighbours who lived in Pareira Wadi, Malwani, and frequented the park to play football.

Shubham and Nikhil were in Class 8 and Class 9 respectively at St Anthony’s High School, while Ajay was in the ninth grade at the Navjyoti Vidya Mandir High School.

“Nikhil was living with his grandmother as his mother was away looking after her ailing mother in their village. Nikhil came back from the village as school had started. His father works in Kuwait,” said Raji Sunil, Nikhil’s aunt.

“It’s been over 50 years since the family has lived here. The neighbours know each other well. Nikhil and his friends went to the park to play every Sunday.”

Echoing this, Ajay’s schoolmate and immediate neighbour, said, “We would all go to the park to play together. The older kids played cricket and volleyball, but we’d play football.”

On Sunday, after playing football, one of the boys had entered the water at Marve Creek to wash his feet and hands but was pulled in by the current and the slippery sand. Realising that their friend was getting swept away, four more boys jumped in to rescue him and they too began to drown.

Ajay’s older brother, Krushna, along with the fifth boy, Ankush, managed to hold their ground and were rescued by the locals. The other three, however, drowned.

Relatives and friends from afar had gathered at the boys’ homes to console the mourning families, while some were at the hospital to collect the boys’ bodies. There was also an air of anger, as neighbours and families complained that the fire brigade and the police arrived late and did not act immediately.

“Why weren’t there lifeguards and police to stop the boys from going into the water?” asked Omkar Jaiswal, Shubham’s uncle.

“We ran to the spot when we found out the boys had been pulled in by the sea. Someone called the fire brigade, but they came an hour later. We were helpless and crying for help, but even after they arrived, they said their boat was coming for the rescue and that took even longer. The CCTV camera is also not very clear,” said Omkar.

The Jaiswals lived together as a joint family and ran a food business together. Shubham was as dear as his own child to him, said Omkar. “I would give away all my life’s money to get him back.”

“As it was Sunday morning, the locals of the area who usually stand at the creek to sell corn and snacks were not there yet. If they were present, they would have stopped the boys or rescued them,” said a neighbour, who did not want to be named.