India, Oct. 3 -- A day after eight students from a coaching institute in Alandi on the outskirts of Pune drowned in Raigad district while on a study tour, police said that the students had ventured into sea water that was only chest-deep, but were pulled in by strong currents, leading to their death.

Raigad Superintendent of Police (SP) Anchal Dalal said Diveagar beach, where the incident occurred, was relatively safer than other beaches in Raigad such as Kashid where the depth near the shoreline increases very rapidly due to steep sand drops and underwater currents are strong.

"Yet, once the students entered chest-deep water, the current began pulling them in. Those who knew swimming came ashore, while those who died apparently did not...