Retired army personnel drowns in Pune waterfall a day after Lonavala tragedy

A monsoon adventure took a tragic turn when Swapnil Dhawade, a 38-year-old retired army personnel from Pimpri Chinchwad, Maharashtra, was found dead in Mangaon, Raigad district. Dhawade had gone missing after diving into a water body in Tahmini Ghat, located in the Western Ghats, Maharashtra, police confirmed.

According to ANI, Dhawade was on a trekking trip with a group of over 30 youths on Saturday when the incident occurred. A video that went viral on social media shows Dhawade jumping into the water near a waterfall. The footage captures his attempt to climb out, only to slip and be carried away by the strong current.

Following his disappearance, a search operation was launched immediately. Volunteers from Shivdurg, a self-help rescue team, joined the search efforts. Dhawade’s body was discovered in Mangaon on Monday. Authorities have sent the body for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death, according to Pankaj Deshmukh, Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural Police.

Lonavala Tragedy
In a related incident, the bodies of five individuals who drowned near a waterfall close to Bhushi Dam in Pune’s Lonavala have been recovered. The incident took place on June 30 at approximately 12:30 PM.

Suhas Jagtap, Senior Police Inspector of Pune Rural Police, confirmed the recovery of all five bodies and the conclusion of the search and rescue operation. The victims include Shahista Ansari (36), Amima Ansari (13), and Umera Ansari (8), whose bodies were found on Sunday.

Inputs from ANI