How two Indians' holy dip turned fatal in Dubai

Two Indians who drowned at the Jumeirah Open Beach last week had gone there to take a holy dip in the sea as part of the Buddha Purnima festival on May 25.

Friends of the two - Rijesh Puthiyapurayil and Sunil Rijesh Puthiyapurayil, told Emirates 24|7 that a team of five Kerala expatriates went to take a dip in the sea, because they believed that it will wash away their sins and evils thoughts from their body and mind.

Earlier, a woman was rescued by life guards from the area where the tragedy happened. There were many people who went to take a dip in the sea on the auspicious occasion, which is a day of celebration in India, especially northern India.

“Buddha Purnima is a special occasion for Buddhists around the world and in India, Buddha is considered to be the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In some parts of India, especially north India, people pour water over Buddha statues to wash away their sins and evil thoughts.

“They were in a group and were quite happy. The group was swimming for almost one hour before the tragedy hit them. One of them was swept away to the deep by undercurrents and the second one was rescued but died later,” said a source familiar with the tragedy.

“I went to the same beach on Friday evening. When I was swimming, I found two people shouting for help in English. I heard help, help two times and when he shouted for the third time, I tried to reach near him. I could hear shouting for help from a second person too, but I could not reach him. Before someone could help him, he was swept away,” says Yuvaraj Veerappan, hailing from Koodalloor district of Neyveli, Tamil Nadu.

“I did not know that they too work in my company. Only the next day I realized that the people that we rescued from the sea are working in my own company,” a shaken Yuva told Emirates 24|7.

"Another person joined me in helping two of the drowning friends," he added. “They were swimming there for almost an hour and were caught unawares by the deep undercurrents. That day the sea was turbulent and there were not many people in that area,” Yuvaraj added.

A relative of one of the deceased said: “They went to the beach in a jolly weekend mood.”

The bodies of two drowned friends have been cremated in their home town in Kannur, Kerala. One of the victim's wife is six months pregnant. The second victim was unmarried.

 

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