Holi fesitivities turn fatal for Indian student in Adelaide

Alpesh did not know swimming but went into chest deep water to bathe along with his friends.

Source: Facebook

An Indian student died of drowning in Semaphore, a north-western seaside suburb of Adelaide while celebrating Holi on Friday.

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25-year-old Alpesh Kumar Patel did not know how to swim but went into the water to bathe with friends at Semaphore Beach after taking part in Holi.

Aplesh who studied at University of South Australia and Victoria's Federation University, is survived by his wife who was living with him in Adelaide.

Indian Australian Association of SA secretary Deepak Bhardwaj told The Advertiser that neither Alpesh nor his friends knew swimming.

“They were in chest-high water, standing there and enjoying when he slips and then he starts panicking.’’

Mr. Bhardwaj said the friends tried to grab Mr. Patel but they all got into difficulty in the deeper water.

Another family which was swimming nearby came to the friends’ aid but were not able to save Mr. Patel, the newspaper reported.

The association is organising a fundraiser for Alpesh and has decided to cremate his body in Australia, rather than send it to India.

Alpesh came from a poor family and had taken a loan to study in Australia.