Girl dies while trying to take selfie with mom, sister at Bandra Bandstand, Mumbai

Tragedy struck as the desire to take that perfect selfie claimed one more life in Mumbai. The tragic incident took place at western Mumbai’s Bandra Bandstand area.

According to a report in The Hindustan Times, the 21-year-old Bachelor of Engineering (BE) student from Tamil Nadu was at Bandra Bandstand near Bandra Fort trying to take a selfie with her mother and sister at around 3.30 pm on Monday when the tragedy took place.

The girl’s body was found near Bandra Worli Sea Link nearly two hours later with the help of local fishermen and fire brigade officials.

The girl, identified as Meenakshi Priya Rajesh, had come to Mumbai on April 30 along with her older sister, father and mother after her final exams, the police was quoted as saying in the report.

A police officer with the Bandra police station, requesting anonymity, told the publication, “Meenakshi and her family visited several places and ended up at Bandra fort. Meenakshi said she wanted to take a selfie with her mother and sister at the edge of a rocky patch with the sea in the background.”

After the death by drowning in which three girls were clicking selfies at Bandra Bandstand, the Mumbai Police had identified 16 spots, across the city, where taking selfies would be banned.

A signboard has been put up by the Mumbai police at Bandra Bandstand asking tourists not to take selfies after 2016’s incident in which two people had drowned, including a local who jumped in to rescue one of the victims.

Meenakshi had been warned by her father, but she disregarded the warning. Unfortunately, a wave hit her and she slipped on the rocks. Because it was high tide, she drifted away into the sea, the police said.

“They could only hear her scream for help,” an officer was quoted as saying.