GUNTUR: A five college students are feared drowned in Krishna River at Gidugu village near Amaravati in Guntur district on Tuesday morning.
According to officials, a group of five students pursuing degree college in private college in Nandigama, Krishna district entered the river on Nandigama side and were swimming through the water towards Amaravati when the tragedy occurred.
The river was more than 1 mile wide at Nandigama, but water level was very low, allowing people to walk in the river.
However, with recent sand mining in the river at Gidugu village in Guntur district, the depth increased in the river and water levels were high. Further, water was released from Pulichintala had also increased the water levels on Guntur side with the river flowing fast making the water depth deceptive.
Reports reaching here indicate that the youths were in middle of the river when they got drowned. Expert swimmers, motorboats and police are engaged search and rescue operations, which are still continuing.
The students have been idnetified as Nagesh, Harish, Lokesh, Gopi Reddy and Hari Gopi. All are in age group of 20 years.