After the students were seen drowning, local people and water sports personnel rushed to their aid and launched a rescue operation. (Screengrab from videos)

The Raigad police in Maharashtra have booked five people, including teachers and staffers, of a private coaching institute in Pune, for alleged negligence in connection with the drowning deaths of eight students at Diveagar beach on October 1.

The police at Dighi Coastal Station have registered cases against the founder of the institute, Amar Adak, his wife Shilpa Adak, Mrunal Naraskhede, his wife Vaishali, and Saba Mehboob Inamdar of Winners Academy based on a complaint of the father of a victim on October 18, said Assistant Police Inspector Santosh Awati.

“Notices were issued to the accused persons as per the legal procedure. They appeared before the police for investigation.…