The Alandi municipal council has ordered the immediate sealing of Winners Academy after a preliminary inquiry found that the coaching institute had allegedly been operating without the required municipal licence for nearly two years.
Their classmates and teachers raised an alarm, following which local residents and water sports operators launched a rescue operation. Alandi Municipal Council chief officer Madhav Khandekar ordered action against the academy following the tragedy. The committee will examine whether such institutions have valid municipal permissions and comply with mandatory safety requirements. The municipal council’s wider inspection will cover private coaching classes and educational institutions operating in Alandi.
The incident occurred around 5.30pm when some students ventured into a restricted portion of the sea and eight of them were swept away as they reportedly failed to gauge the depth and strength of the sea currents.
Winners Academy had been operating in Alandi for around two years without obtaining an official licence from the Alandi Municipal Council for its commercial or educational activities, according to the preliminary findings cited by the municipal council administration. It will also look into arrangements made for students during educational trips, officials said. Officials said the inquiry would examine licences, safety compliance and other mandatory requirements, as well as the circumstances surrounding student excursions.
