Pune: Mumbai Law Student Found Dead In Gorge At Lonavala’s Tiger Point During Solo Trek

Pimpri-Chinchwad: The body of a female law student, who had come to Lonavala for a solo trek, was found in a deep gorge. The incident came to light on Sunday (1st February) around 5:00 PM at the famous Tiger Point in Lonavala.

The deceased has been identified as Shreya Narendra Pati (age 20, resident of CBD Belapur, Mumbai). An accidental death report (ADR) has been registered at the Lonavala Rural Police Station (under the Pune Rural Police Force).

According to the police, Shreya was studying law at a prestigious college in Mumbai. Her father is a Chartered Accountant (CA), her mother is a homemaker, and her brother has completed his education abroad.

Police said that Shreya was fond of travelling and often she used to travel alone. Reportedly, on Saturday, she arrived in Lonavala for a solo trek. After visiting some tourist spots, she took an auto-rickshaw from Duke’s Nose point to Tiger Point in the afternoon. Some people found Shreya’s backpack near a roadside kiosk (tapri). The bag contained her ID card, mobile phone, and laptop, based on which the police contacted her relatives.

Shreya’s relatives rushed to the Lonavala Rural Police and filed a missing person’s report. Upon searching the area, her body was discovered in the gorge. The body was shifted to the Primary Health Centre in Talegaon Dabhade, where her brother identified her. Police Sub-Inspector Sagar Argade from Lonavala Rural Police Station is investigating the matter further.

A police official stationed at the Lonavala Rural Police Station, requesting anonymity, said, “Shreya was a college student and was passionate about travelling. However, her family reportedly opposed her frequent trips, which had made her angry. We are investigating whether she committed suicide due to this resentment or if her death was caused by other factors.

Police also said that they will investigate if any foul play was involved. Investigations are also underway to determine if she was alone in Lonavala or if someone was with her. No suicide note was found in Shreya’s bag. Police stated that since her mobile and laptop are password-protected, valuable information may be recovered once they are accessed. A technical team is working on that.

Dog’s Help in Locating the Deceased

To locate Shreya, Durga, a dog from the Pune Rural Police Force’s canine squad, was summoned. Police Constable Sagar Rokade began the search in the gorge with Durga’s help. Using a handkerchief from Shreya’s bag, Durga tracked the scent and located the body deep in the valley.

The Shivdurga Rescue Team carried out the recovery operation to bring the body out of the gorge. The search was conducted under the guidance of Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill, Deputy Superintendent Gajanan Tonpe, and Police Inspector Avinash Shilimkar of the Local Crime Branch (LCB).