Three employees of a Bengaluru-based information technology company died after being swept away by strong waves at Dubbansashi beach in Gokarna, Karnataka, during a morning swim on Sunday. The incident has prompted police to signal stricter action against visitors who enter the sea despite warning boards at major beaches.
The victims were identified as Vishwesh, 24, Shobha Das, 22, and Mohammed Akram, the group’s team leader. Vishwesh had gone missing after being swept further out to sea and his body was recovered on Monday, about 1km from the spot where the group entered the water. The bodies of Shobha and Akram were recovered on Sunday.
The five colleagues were part of a 16-member group of employees from Aloria Ecospace, a company based in Bellandur, Bengaluru. The group travelled to Gokarna in Uttara Kannada district for a trip, arrived on Saturday evening and checked into a resort near the beach.
The incident took place at around 7.30am on Sunday, when five members of the group entered the sea for a swim. Local fishermen and lifeguards saw them struggling and began a rescue operation. Four people were brought ashore, while Vishwesh was carried further out by the waves.
Shobha, who was originally from Jamshedpur in Jharkhand, died at Gokarna Primary Health Centre. Akram died while being shifted to another hospital near Murudeshwar. The two survivors, Nishanth DV, 26, and Mohammed Qasim, were recovering after receiving treatment.
The deaths highlight the gap between the installation of safety infrastructure at tourist beaches and whether visitors follow the warnings or receive effective supervision at high-risk stretches. The report did not specify the number, location or condition of warning boards at Dubbansashi beach, nor whether additional safety restrictions were in place when the group entered the water.
Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police Deepan MN said warning boards had been installed at major beaches, but some visitors continued to ignore the warnings and enter the sea. He added that police would take stricter measures to prevent people from venturing into the water. A case has been registered at Gokarna police station.
The recovery operation involved local fishermen and lifeguards, who brought four of the five swimmers ashore. The incident also led to a search for Vishwesh that continued until his body was found on Monday. Further details about the case and any enforcement measures will depend on the police investigation.
