18-year-old student drowns in Godavari, friend rescued 

ELURU: 18-year-old student drowned in the Godavari and another was rescued in the nick of time by local people at Kotha Pattiseema in Polavaram mandal on Sunday morning.

The deceased has been identified as Ryali Sai Ramya (18) of Dommeru village in Kovvur mandal.

According to the police, three degree students — Ramya, Gudapati Sai Bhavani of Unakatla in Chagallu mandal and Yarlagadda Pratisha of Kovvur — visited Valavala Srivalli’s house in Kotha Pattiseema on Saturday night.

On Sunday morning, the four students decided to visit the Polavaram project site. En route the Polavaram project site, Sai Ramya and Sai Bhavani ventured into the Godavari for a swim. The two were swept away by a strong current.

Hearing the girls’ cries for help, locals jumped into the river, but were able to rescue only Bhavani. Polavaram SI K Srihari Rao rushed to the site of the accident on being alerted. Bhavani has been shifted from Kotha Pattiseema to a PHC in Polavaram for treatment.

All three are B.Sc (Computer Science) first year in Alluri Bapineedu Degree College of Kovvur. The Polavaram police have registered a case and investigation is on.