India, Oct. 3 -- Anger and grief gripped Alandi on Friday as the town observed a voluntary shutdown following the deaths of eight 16-year-old students who drowned at Diveagar beach in Raigad district during an educational trip on Thursday.

Markets remained closed, and major roads and marketplaces wore a deserted look. The mood was tense outside Winners Academy and Study Centre and across Alandi where parents and relatives gathered seeking answers about the arrangements, supervision and safety measures during the trip.

For several parents, the grief soon turned into anger. "We sent our children there trusting the institute. We want to know who was responsible for their safety and why such a trip was organised if the institute itself was ...