Harshal Desale made a video call to his parents informing them that he was on his way to the river an hour before he drowned
NASHIK: Around 11pm on Tuesday, Harshal Desale (19) of Jalgaon had made a video call to his
parents
informing them that he was on his way to the
Volkhov river
in the Russian city of Veliky Novgorod. Barely an hour later, he
drowned
in the river with a fellow
medical student
.
Both the students were pursuing medical education at a university in Veliky Novgorod city of
Russia
.
Two of their friends were also washed away by a strong wave and yet to be traced.
A fifth student, who had gone to the river too, was rescued.
Harshal was from Bhadgaon taluka of Jalgaon. "It was about 8.30pm in Russia when Harshal called up his parents. Harshal told his father that he and his friends were on way to the Volkhov river for a stroll. This was the last call we received from Harshal," his uncle Rajendra Desale to
TOI
.
At 7am the next day, Harshal's parents received a phone call from his hostel informing them that he had not returned. The hapless family members then started making frantic calls. A few hours later, the university again called up the family, telling that Harsal had drowned in the river.
A pall of gloom descended on his parents as Harshal was their only son. "Over the past three days, Harshal's parents are inconsolable. He was a bright student and studied in one of the best schools in Pachora in Jalgaon. He was adamant on completing
MBBS
and went to Russia to realise the dream," Rajendra said.
It was only five months ago that Harshal left for Russia, the uncle said, adding that the family was hoping to receive his body as quickly as possible. Ever since the news broke, there had been an outpour of relatives and friends at the house, he said.
Cousins
Jishan Pinjari
and Jia Pinjari, who went to the river with their three friends, are still missing.
"We are unable to eat or sleep as our children are yet to be traced. We are hoping for a miracle," Jishan's father Ashpak Pinjari said.
Ashpak, a farmer and a trader, told TOI that his son Jishan and niece (sister's daughter) Jia wanted to become MBBS doctors. "They were good in studies and wanted to become MBBS doctors. Both of them left for Russia in Sept last year," he said.
Jishan too had made a video call to his father just before the
tragedy
struck. His father said during the video call, Jishan's mother told him to get Jia out of the water and head back to their hostel.
"We used to regularly get calls from Jishan and Jia. We never thought in our wildest dreams that a tragedy could struck our children on a foreign land," the father said.
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