Panaji: A Class XI science student from a Vasco-based school drowned on Friday at the Tonir–Kajredhat waterfall in Valpoi during a school-organised trekking excursion, raising questions over the visit despite the state’s monsoon restrictions on entering waterfalls.The victim, identified as Rahul Rameshkumar Bind, a resident of Baina, was part of a group of around 25 students. He reportedly entered the water without checking its depth or the strength of the current and drowned.Personnel from the forest department and the directorate of fire and emergency services later recovered his body.The Tonir–Kajredhat waterfall has witnessed multiple drowning incidents in recent years. Thirty-year-old Pankaj Rajput drowned there in Oct 2024, while 23-year-old Pradeep Kumar lost his life at the same spot during a picnic with friends in Jan 2025.With nearly 80 drowning deaths reported across Goa this year, authorities and local residents have repeatedly called for stricter vigilance and enforcement of safety measures.Locals also questioned how students were allowed to visit the waterfall when state govt has imposed prohibitory orders banning swimming, bathing and entry into waterfalls, rivers, lakes and abandoned quarries during the monsoon.
