VISAKHAPATNAM: A jolly trip ended on a sad note for three friends as one youngster drowned and another went missing at RK Beach here Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as N Mahesh Babu (23) and the missing as B Vishnu Murthy (23).
Another friend, A Prabhu Kiran, who went to swim along with them reached the shore safely. The three friends are natives and residents of Vijayawada.
Rescue operations were not launched at the beach until the police reached the spot with private swimmers as community guards who are otherwise stationed at the beach are on strike due to non-payment of salaries.
According to MR Peta CI, the trio were playing in the blue waters opposite the Gateway Hotel when two of them, Vishnu Murthy and Mahesh Babu, ventured deep and were pulled in.
Prabhu Kiran was also pulled into the waters but managed to swim to safety. Mahesh’s body washed ashore, while Vishnu Murthy’s body is still missing. Rescue operations were still on when last reports came in.
Police said that the trio were visiting Annavaram from Vijayawada. After visiting the temple, they came to Vizag and decided to spend some time at the beach having seen Kailasagiri.
Mahesh Babu was a techie and was working in a private company while Vishnu Murthy is a BBM student. Prabhu Kiran discontinued his studies during graduation.
No Community Guards on the Spot
Community Guards who were appointed for rescue operations at the local beaches are on strike as they have not got paid since four months. Not only RK Beach, all 18 community guards at Yarada and Rushikonda Beach are also on strike.
One of the community guard, G Sreenu, said that police officers know that the community guards are on strike. “We have been on strike due to non-payment of salaries since one week. In this one week, we have been visiting GVMC office daily,” Sreenu said.
He also alleged that the authorities informed him that they are not intending to pay them.
“We have also approached the Police Commissionerate many times and the authorities said that they would talk to the civic officials and resolve the issue,” he said.