Pimpri-Chinchwad: A tragic incident occurred on Tuesday (17th February) near Lonavala in Ekole village of Maval Tehsil, where a young man drowned at the Lotus Point waterfall pond. The deceased has been identified as Ayush Harinkhede (21), a resident of Katraj and originally from the Gondia district.
Ayush was a final-year engineering student at a private college in Pune and had visited Ekole for a trip with five of his friends.
According to available details, Ayush entered the water despite not knowing how to swim properly and subsequently drowned. Rescue teams were notified of the incident around 12:30 PM on Tuesday.
Upon receiving the information, members of the Shivdurg Mitra Lonavala, Vanyajeev Rakshak Maval, the Mulshi Apatti Vyavasthapan Samiti, and local villagers rushed to the spot. All rescue teams reached the site by 4:00 PM and initiated the search operation.
After approximately an hour and a half of searching, Ayush's body was recovered from the water at 5:30 PM on the same day. However, bringing the body out of the area proved to be a significant challenge due to the difficult and mountainous terrain.
Overcoming these obstacles, the rescue teams managed to hand over the body to the police at around 9:00 PM. The incident has cast a wave of grief over the local community and his peers.
Authorities in Maval tehsil have reiterated the need for caution while travelling in the tehsil. The tehsil, which provides a natural paradise to residents of Pune and Mumbai, has been grappling with accidents and suicide attempts for a long time. One should always prioritise safety, noted an official from Pune District Administration.
