Bandra: 24 hours on, no trace of drowned girl, rescuer

It has been over 24 hours since an 18-year-old girl and her 40-year-old ‘rescuer’ drowned at Bandra Bandstand on Saturday, but BMC swimmers, the fire brigade and the Indian Coast Guard are struggling to locate their bodies. Tarannum Ansari (18) fell into the sea while taking selfies with two of her friends, while braveheart Ramesh Walunju (40) jumped in to save her on Saturday. Locals, mobilised by Walunju’s uncle Suresh Sawant, set out in three fishing boats to locate the bodies in the early hours of Sunday. However, they returned empty-handed at around 4 am after four hours.

Meanwhile, politicians across parties have extended help to Walunju’s family. Shiv Sena said it would support the family as the deceased was their group leader.

Commenting on the official rescue operation, Mr Sawant said on Sunday night, “They said they sent some boats to trace the bodies, but have been unable to do so. So we took the matter into our hands. We will try to find the bodies tonight as well. Locals are checking all coastal areas to find out if the bodies have washed ashore at any place.”

Thousands of visitors who come to sit on the rocks on Sunday were asked to leave by the police who had locked the door to Bandra Fort, to ensure that no one reached the rocks. It is unclear how long the gates will be kept closed.

However, several people had managed to reach the rocks by walking for over 200 metres from the Bandstand end. Till late evening, a team of policemen, lady constables and three police officers were seen asking people to get off the rocks. They used the whistle and waved their lathis to shoo them away.

A police official said, “These people just don’t listen to us. The media should spread some awareness. We have been trying to get them off the rocks since morning, but they pay no heed. A woman with a child only a few months old had come to see the spot where the duo drowned. She walked about 100 metres on the rocks along with the rest of her relatives, which is very risky. We asked her to leave.”

On Sunday, Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai and MLA Anil Parab met the family and told them it would provide support to them. “We are going to take all the responsibility of the family, including the education of the children. Walunju was our group leader and hence it is our duty to help his family. Uddhav Thackeray (party chief) will meet the family on Monday. It was a big loss for the family, but we will stand by them in difficult times,” Mr Parab said after meeting the family.

Earlier in the day, BJP Mumbai president and Bandra MLA Ashish Shelar, BJP MP Poonam Mahajan met the family and assured them financial help. “Walunju was a Bandra resident and died while rescuing two girls. He has three children whose education will be sponsored by us and his wife will be given job,” Mr Shelar said in a release.

Samajwadi Party announced that their chief Abu Azmi would also meet the family on Monday and help them financially.

Walunju saved one girl and died while saving another at Bandra Bandstand on Saturday. He was a resident of Jaffer Baba colony, a slum pocket behind Bandra Fort. He is survived by his mother, wife, two daughters aged 12 and 15 years and a three-year-old son.