Eight college students went to visit the quarry. (Press Trust of India photo)
Five engineering students in Bengaluru have drowned in an abandoned quarry on the outskirts of the city after an attempt to save a classmate went horribly wrong.
Eight college students went to visit the quarry, which has collected nearly 80 feet of water. While five students went swimming, three watched from the sidelines. "One of them unfortunately slipped. In order to save him, one after the other... once they got into the deep water, there was no coming back. Unfortunately all of them died in the process," said police officer Vikas Kumar to NDTV.
There are signs warning people about the dangers of the place - a precaution that has not prevented as many as 21 people from drowning in the last two years. Police say the area has been heavily advertised as a no-entry zone, but admit it has yet to be fenced off.
Narayan, a social worker, told NDTV, "Rain water has been stored and it has become like a big lake. The college students from around come here to swim. "