Digha: A 20-year-old college student from Ichhapore in North 24-Parganas drowned in the sea off Digha and two teenagers were injured after being sucked in by a tidal wave on Thursday.

Police said the trio were standing on a concrete slope leading to the water during high tide when a big wave sucked them in.

Lifeguards could save Vivek Jaiswal, 15, and cousin Shankar Jaiswal, 16. Vivek's elder brother Vishal, 20, a third-year commerce student, could not be saved.

His body was fished out several hours later and sent to Contai Sub-divisional Hospital for post-mortem.

Vishal's father Mahendra Jaiswal said he along with his wife, two sons, a relative and two business associates had reached Digha on Thursday on a day's trip.

"The lifeguards saved Vivek and Shankar but Vishal could not be traced. We have been to Digha several times but I did not realise that I would lose my son here," said Vishal's mother Gita.

"When the lifeguards jumped into the sea to save them, I hoped all of them would be rescued," said Mahendra.

The additional superintendent of police (rural), Indrajit Basu, said: "Our rescue teams tried hard but it appears Vishal had gone deep into the waters."