Juhu tragedy: 3 burials, sea search continues

MUMBAI: Three of the four teenagers who drowned off

Juhu Beach

Thursday were buried at Andheri Muslim Qabrastan at Four Bungalows in Andheri Friday. Efforts are on to trace Syed Faisal, who remains missing.


The friends were all buried yards away from one another in the Andheri Muslim Qabrastan at Four Bungalows, Nazeer Ghanchi in the forenoon and the rest in the evening. Fardin Saudagar's remains arrived at 5.30pm followed by Sohail Khan's cortege at 6.45pm. Over 1,000 people joined each procession.

Fardin's father Firoz said the absence of lifeguards on the beach was his main grouse. "My 16-year-old son would have been alive if lifeguards were present to stop him from entering the water or to rescue him at once. This morning his corpse was spotted by helicopter borne rescuers at Juhu Chowpatty," Firoz said. He stoically handled throngs of mourners and said to them, "Dua'a karo."

Andheri's BJP MLA Ameet Satam returned from the assembly session in Nagpur for the funeral. He said, "I will urge the authorities to cordon off that portion of Juhu-Versova beach until Ganesh Chaturthi given that several mishaps take place there." Congress corporator Mohsin Haider, who attended the last rites, claimed that lifeguards were absent and that local Koli boys had rescued Wasim. "What use is cosmetic pink lighting along Juhu Beach when basic amenities are missing?" he said.

At Juhu, a constable said, "The search operations are still on, we are looking for Faisal." The Indian

Coast Guard

operated three sorties on Friday to trace the youths.