Lonavala Waterfall Incident: Two Children’s Bodies Recovered
A day after five individuals, including four children, were swept away by a waterfall in a restricted area near Bhushi Dam in Lonavala, two more bodies were recovered on Monday during the ongoing rescue operation. The bodies have been identified as nine-year-old Mariya Akil Sayyad and four-year-old Adnan Sabhahat Ansari, as confirmed by police inspector Suhas Jagtap of the Lonavala city police station.
The tragic incident occurred when 19 family members from Hadapsar in Pune visited Lonavala for monsoon tourism on Sunday. Among the group was a newlywed couple. The tourists ventured into the interior waterfall behind Bhushi Dam, an area marked as restricted. Initially, the water flow was manageable, but it surged rapidly due to heavy rain, sweeping ten individuals away around 3 pm. While five were rescued, the remaining five were carried into the dam’s reservoir.
Rescue efforts commenced immediately, involving rural police, INS Shivaji personnel, and members of Shivdurga Mitra Mandal. On Sunday, they recovered the bodies of 13-year-old Ameena Salman alias Adil Ansari, her eight-year-old sister Umera Salman alias Adil Ansari, and 37-year-old Shahista Liyakat Ansari. On Monday, officials from various government departments, including Pune rural police, conducted a survey of dangerous spots in the region to implement preventive measures. The government plans to impose restrictions on accessing certain locations in Lonavala during the rainy season to avert such tragedies. A senior police officer indicated that the district collector would issue orders to restrict tourist access to hazardous spots after 6 pm.
The site of the incident is managed by Indian Railways and the Forest Department and is clearly marked as a restricted area. On Monday, a meeting was held with officials from these departments, along with the Pune rural police, Lonavala Municipal Council, and other relevant agencies. Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Satya Sai Karthik reiterated the importance of adhering to the posted restrictions and exercising caution while visiting Lonavala. Former corporator Farooq Inamdar from Hadapsar highlighted that the victims were all relatives, many of whom were involved in small businesses or worked as domestic helpers. He also mentioned that the newlywed couple from Sayyad Nagar, who were injured, are in stable condition.
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