Thane: Two brothers drown while taking selfie in Bhiwandi

KALYAN: Two brothers drowned in a river in Bhiwandi while one of them was trying to take a selfie on Saturday evening. The two, Shahbaz Ansari (25) and Aalam (22), had gone with their mother, Khaidima, to look for a rental flat overlooking river Kamvari. While Aalam and his mother were taking in the sights by the riverside, Shahbaz sat there fishing.
The brothers even made a video-call to their father, Abdul, to show him the ambience around. On seeing the raging waters in the background, their father warned them to stay away from the riverbank, said the police.
Around 4.30 pm, as Aalam was swaying and pirouetting to get the most picturesque background to the frame, he slipped into the swirling waters, said the police. Seeing him struggling to stay afloat, Shahbaz dived in to save him, said senior inspector Ram Bhalsingh of Bhiwandi taluka police station. "Their mother was too stunned on seeing her sons being swept away," said Bhalsingh. "It took her a while to find her voice and scream for help." Locals alerted the police and fire brigade. Swimmers were roped in to find the two missing men.
While Shahbaz's body was recovered on Saturday night, Aalam's was fished out of the river on Sunday afternoon. A case of two accidental deaths has been recorded.
While Aalam had been pursuing a course in hotel management, Shahbaz used to work for a private company. Besides the parents, the two are survived by a sister.