Nanded, Aug 28: A 28-year-old devotee drowned in the historic Matrutirth Kund at Mahur in Nanded district on Friday after completing a foot pilgrimage covering 26 religious sites, police said.
The deceased was identified as Aniket Valmik Turak (28), a resident of Gaywad village in Karanja Lad tehsil of Washim district. He had arrived at Mahur on Thursday along with his sister and other devotees to participate in the Narali Purnima Parikrama Yatra.
Devotee drowns at kund
According to police, Turak completed the 26 site pilgrimage, including the Shri Dattashikhar temple, during the night and early Friday morning. Before beginning the return journey, he went to the Matrutirth Kund to bathe.
Turak entered the water and swam nearly 100 feet from the steps. While returning towards the shore, he apparently lost balance in deeper water and drowned.
Guards deployed at the kund immediately launched a rescue operation but could not locate him in the deep water.
Search operation conducted
A search operation that began around 9 am continued for nearly six hours. Turak’s body was finally recovered at around 3 pm and sent to the Mahur Rural Hospital for post-mortem examination, officials said.
Senior administrative and police officials, including Tehsildar Abhijit Jagtap, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Kirankumar Bhondve and Police Inspector Devidas Chopade, reached the spot and monitored the rescue operation.
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Family mourns loss
Turak, who was engaged in mandap and event decoration work, is survived by his wife, mother and other family members. His death has left behind a six-month-old daughter, relatives said.
The incident cast a pall of gloom over Mahur, a prominent pilgrimage centre, and Turak’s native village in Washim district.
