MUMBAI: Deepchand Wakchaure, a 45-year-old plumber from Govandi, had a set routine of dropping his daughter to her college and being home by the time she returned. On Wednesday, though, he was among those who died when the ferry capsized after being struck by a Navy speedboat. The family was not aware that he had boarded the ferry.
His body remained unidentified until Thursday morning. It was later claimed from JJ Hospital’s autopsy centre by his 17-year-old daughter, Tanvi, and wife Veena.
Speaking to the media, his childhood friend, Chandrakant Hevale, said, “He liked to travel, see the city, and explore surrounding areas. When he did not return home by 8pm, his family started worrying as his phone was unreachable.”
Hevale said by midnight, his friends began to suspect he might have been on the boat that capsized and reached Colaba PS. “By the time we realised he was likely one of the victims, it was around 3am.”
Devanand Kharat, another friend, said, “He dropped his daughter at her college, took his tiffin, and left. When he didn’t come home till late at night, a friend informed me that he went somewhere near CSMT in south Mumbai.” Other friends of Wakchaure noted his habit of wearing a lot of ornaments. A gold pendant, a gold chain, and his phone were recovered, but another bracelet was missing.