LUCKNOW, June 28 -- A 38-year-old man drowned early Thursday morning after allegedly entering a pond near Kathauta Lake in Lucknow, despite repeated warnings from his friends. The incident followed a late-night outing and prompted an emotional response from the victim's family, along with a clarification from civic authorities regarding the exact location of the tragedy. The deceased, identified as Manish Kumar Shukla, a resident of Vivek Khand in Gomti Nagar, had returned from a party with friends around 4 a.m. According to one of his friends, Raunak, the group had stopped near the lake to smoke when Manish suddenly insisted on going for a swim in the pond. "He said he knew how to swim and ignored our repeated warnings. He went further in, toward a small island in the middle, and never came back," Raunak said. Police said the incident occurred around 6:30 am, after which they were alerted and rushed to the scene. "With the help of local divers, the body was recovered and sent for post-mortem," a Lucknow Police spokesperson stated. A preliminary investigation suggests accidental drowning, though authorities said all aspects of the case are being examined. Manish's friends who were present at the time are currently being questioned....