Watery grave for five picnickers

The ongoing Karthika Maasam picnics have proved fatal for five persons. While two youths, including a techie met with watery grave at Wadapalam Beach in Visakhapatnam district, three children drowned in Nagavali river near Thotapalli barrage in Vizianagaram district.

M Venkatesh (24), a software engineer, went on a picnic with his friends to Wadapalam Beach. Notwithstanding the warnings of the visitors, Venkatesh with his friend Srinivasa Rao went for a swim but were carried away by strong tides.

In another incident, three youths drowned in Nagavali river at Thotapalli Barrage of Garugubilli mandal. The victims, all natives of Parvathipuram, went to the river bank for a picnic. The trio went for a swim and got stuck in quicksand.