Mumbai: Wednesday, December 11 was ill-fated for many revelers whose lives were changed in a few seconds. But for 37 students from Gadchiroli, the day proved otherwise. They were scheduled to be a part of the pleasure ride in the same boat from Gateway of India that met with the accident. Providential dispensation was such that the students missed the ride by a few hours as they could not reach the spot on time.
On the day, the passenger boat Neelkamal was hit by a naval speedboat leaving 13 dead and over 90 injured. The incident happened near Butcher Island, about 8 kilometres from the Gateway of India.
However, the students, from Radheshyam Baba Vidyalaya in Desaiganj, Gadchiroli, who were visiting Mumbai for the first time as part of a school tour, and scheduled to take a boat ride at the Gateway of India, arrived two hours after the accident. Teachers accompanying the group decided not to inform the students about the incident to avoid panic.
“We chose to delay the boat ride to Thursday due to the weather. The students were unaware of the tragedy, but even if they knew, they are brave children accustomed to challenges in Gadchiroli,” said teacher Dudharam Nakade.
Hailing from a Naxal-affected tribal region, the students were touring Maharashtra’s key cultural and urban landmarks. Before arriving in Mumbai, they visited Pandharpur, Pune, and Alandi. Their Mumbai itinerary included the Gateway of India, Nariman Point, and Girgaum Chowpatty, followed by a visit to Shani Shignapur.
The students eventually enjoyed their first boat ride on Thursday afternoon and visited iconic Mumbai landmarks, including Nariman Point, Girgaum Chowpatty, and Mukesh Ambani’s Antilia.