Raigad: Three college students drowned in Charlotte Lake in Matheran, a popular hill station near Mumbai, on Sunday, June 15. The victims, including a minor, were part of a group of ten students from Koparkhairane in Navi Mumbai, who had gone on a monsoon trip.
The group first visited the Pisharnath Temple and then proceeded to Charlotte Lake. While spending time near the water, one of the students accidentally slipped and fell into the lake. In a desperate attempt to rescue him, two of his friends jumped in but were also dragged under and drowned. The rest of the group raised an alarm and locals soon informed authorities.
Matheran Police acted swiftly, calling in the Sahyadri Emergency Rescue Team. Rescue operations reportedly continued late into the night. Despite the efforts, the three young lives could not be saved. According to a Hindustan Times report, the victims were identified as Sumit Chavan (16), Aryan Khobragade (19) and Firoz Shaikh (19).
Pune Bridge Collapse Kills 4, Several Injured
On the same day, another tragedy struck in Maharashtra’s Pune district when a narrow, ageing bridge over the Indrayani River near Talegaon collapsed under the weight of a large crowd. Four people lost their lives and 51 others sustained injuries in the tragedy. The deceased have been identified as Chandrakant Salve, Rohit Mane and Vihaan Mane, while one victim remains unidentified.
According to a survivor, the bridge had become overcrowded with people and vehicles coming from both directions. “There was a huge crowd on the bridge. The road was jammed. The crowd gathered at one place, and the bridge collapsed. People standing in the middle of the bridge were swept away. We fell on the stones and got injured,” he told ANI.
Authorities suspect that the excessive load on the old structure led to its collapse. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals and a probe was launched into the structural integrity of similar bridges in the area.
