On March 29, popular Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee (43) drowned while shooting for a TV serial at Talasari beach. The incident brought into focus safety, awareness and accountability on beaches in Odisha.Frequent drowning incidents have cast a shadow over the state’s beaches. According to statistics, between Jan and March this year alone, six tourists drowned in Puri. In 2024, lifeguards rescued 416 people from drowning, while six died. The following year, 445 were rescued but 10 people lost their lives.Lifeguards point to negligence as a major factor. Tourists often ignore warning signs, venturing deep into the sea without caution. Alcohol consumption compounds the danger. “We see people drunk, laughing and running into the waves. They don’t realize how quickly the ocean can change,” Prasana Reddy, a lifeguard, said.The lifeguards, many drawn from Odisha’s home guard wing, risk their own lives to save others. Yet they face hostility as well as indifference. Last year on Oct 28, just before Cyclone Montha’s landfall, a lifeguard was assaulted by a tourist couple after advising them to stay out of the rough sea.“They hit him with slippers. We are here to protect them, but sometimes they treat us like enemies,” recalled a colleague.The most treacherous hazard is one that few tourists can see – rip currents. These powerful and narrow channels of water surge away from the shore, dragging swimmers into deeper seas within seconds. Invisible to the untrained eye, they strike without warning, especially during high tide. “Rips are like conveyor belts. You think you are swimming back to the shore but the current is pulling you further out,” Appa Rama Rao, another lifeguard, said.The police and fire services directorate have acknowledged the growing risks. “We plan to deploy additional lifeguards and strengthen emergency response,” IGP (fire and emergency services) Umashankar Dash said.Puri SP Prateek Singh said that more warning sign boards are being installed and awareness drives are being conducted. “Our personnel are patrolling and preventing consumption of liquor on the beach,” Singh added. Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has been vocal about the need for stricter laws. “Those found drunk while bathing in the sea should face strong action,” he said. Pattnaik, whose sculptures often carry social messages, believes regulation is essential to save lives.Local hoteliers echo this sentiment. “If someone loses a family member here, nothing is more sad. We need watchtowers, rescue water scooters (jet skis) and fines for reckless behaviour,” Debasis Kumar, a hotelier in Puri, said.At the moment, 89 government lifeguards patrol a 3.3km stretch of Puri beach, divided into 14 sectors. They are equipped with rescue tubes, lifebuoys, seven rescue boards, a jet ski and an all‑terrain vehicle. Their coverage includes Digabareni to Suv Palace (1.7km), the Blue Flag beach (900 meters) and Niladri Beach (600 meters). In addition to this, around 350 private lifeguards operate along other stretches, especially during festivals when crowds swell.Despite these efforts, the lifeguards remain stretched thin. “We stay alert from morning till evening. But the beach is vast and tourists don’t listen. Sometimes we save 10 people in a single day,” a lifeguard said. The lack of watchtowers makes surveillance difficult. A single elevated vantage point, lifeguards argue, could help spot swimmers in distress before it is too late.Stakeholders across Puri agree that awareness is key. Tour operators, hoteliers and local residents have begun sensitizing visitors about safe bathing practices. Yet they insist that government intervention is crucial. Stronger preventive measures — more trained lifeguards, modern rescue gear, clear sign boards and stricter policing — could drastically reduce accidents.“Tourists come here to have a good time. If we cannot guarantee their safety, how will Puri attract more visitors? At the same time, each drowning is a preventable tragedy. It is equally the responsibility of tourists to take care of themselves and heed the govt’s safety advisory,” Kumar said.
