In a tragic incident near Bhushi Dam in Lonavala, five individuals, including four children, were swept away in a waterfall located in a “restricted area” approximately 2 kilometers from the dam. The unfortunate event occurred on Sunday, and a search and rescue operation has been ongoing since then. On Monday, rescue teams recovered two more bodies, identified as nine-year-old Mariya Akil Sayyad and four-year-old Adnan Sabhahat Ansari, according to police inspector Suhas Jagtap of the Lonavala city police station.
The rescue operation, conducted by a team of rural police, INS Shivaji personnel, and members of Shivdurga Mitra Mandal, initially found three victims on Sunday. The victims included 13-year-old Ameena Salman alias Adil Ansari, her eight-year-old sister Umera Salman alias Adil Ansari, and a woman named Shahista Liyakat Ansari, aged 37. Following the incident, government officials and the Pune rural police surveyed the area on Monday to identify dangerous spots and plan preventive measures. Restrictions are expected to be imposed on visiting certain locations in Lonavala during the rainy season to prevent similar incidents. A senior police officer mentioned that the district collector would soon issue orders to prohibit tourists from accessing certain hazardous spots in Lonavala after 6 pm.
The victims were part of a group of 19 people from Hadapsar in Pune, who had come to Lonavala for a monsoon outing. The group included a newlywed couple. They ventured into the waterfall area behind Bhushi Dam, unaware of the impending danger. The water flow increased suddenly due to heavy rain, sweeping away ten tourists around 3 pm. While five of them were rescued, the other five were carried into the reservoir connecting to the dam. The area where the incident occurred is under the jurisdiction of Indian Railways and the Forest Department and is marked as restricted.
On Monday, a meeting was held with officials from the Railways, Forest Department, Pune rural police, Lonavala Municipal Council, and other concerned government departments to discuss the incident and preventive measures. Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Satya Sai Karthik emphasized that warning boards are installed to inform tourists of the restricted area. He urged visitors to adhere to the restrictions and exercise caution while exploring Lonavala. Former corporator Farooq Inamdar noted that the victims were all relatives, with some involved in small businesses and others working as domestic helpers. Despite the tragedy, the couple from Sayyad Nagar, who were injured in the incident, are reportedly in stable condition.
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