Mumbai Girl Found Dead in Lonavala’s Tiger Point Gorge After Massive Search
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Lonavala, 2nd February 2026: A 19-year-old woman from Mumbai who had come to Lonavala for a trek was found dead in a deep gorge near Tiger Point on Sunday evening after an intensive, multi-agency search operation, Pune rural police said.
The deceased, identified as Shreya Narendra Pati, had arrived in Lonavala on January 31 to trek at Duke’s Nose. She reportedly reached the spot but did not return to Mumbai by evening. Concerned relatives waited through the night and then travelled to Lonavala, where locals confirmed she had visited Duke’s Nose and left later in the day. A rescue team was alerted late at night to check if any trekking group was missing, but the family initially believed she had returned home.
On the morning of February 1, the family filed a missing person complaint. Around the same time, a bag believed to belong to Shreya was found near Tiger Point. Lonavala Rural Police then asked rescue teams to begin a search. Members of the Shivdurg Rescue Team reached Tiger Point, assessed the terrain, and launched a coordinated operation at around 2.30 pm with rope access, ground teams and dog squads.
The search focused on the area around the recovered bag. Rescuers descended the gorge in stages, checking ledges and vertical faces. A police drone surveyed the same stretch but initially found nothing suspicious. Later, a Lightning Drone team from Pune joined the operation. Based on their experience, they marked a likely spot, and at around 4.45 pm the drone camera located Shreya’s body nearly 390 feet below in the gorge.
With nightfall approaching, the team set up a complex rope system for retrieval. Two rescuers descended to secure the body on a stretcher while others prepared a safer haul route to prevent the stretcher from getting stuck. The body was slowly pulled up amid falling loose rocks and soil. After a brief snag halfway, the team adjusted the rigging and completed the lift.
By about 9.30 pm, the body was brought up and handed over to the police for further procedure.
Police said they are investigating whether the death was due to an accident, suicide or foul play. The post-mortem report and other evidence will guide the inquiry.
The operation was conducted under the guidance of Pune District Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Gajanan Tonpe. Lonavala Rural Police Inspector Dinesh Tayde, Lonavala City Police Inspector Rajesh Ramaghare, API Rahul Lad and other officers participated on the ground, with support from local shopkeepers and volunteers.
Members of the Shivdurg Rescue Team involved in the operation included Yogesh Umbare, Anil Sutar, Mahesh Masne, Rajendra Kadu, Prakash Ratnakar, Anand Gavade, Sachin Gaikwad, Ashok Umbare, Ganesh Gaikwad, Omkar Padwal, Prince Baitha, Vaishnavi Bhangre, Sachin Shinde, Sagar Kumbhar, Sagar Dalvi, Anand Shirke, Eknath Madhvi, Yogesh Dalvi, Kunal Kadu, Shreyas Phatak, Pintu Mankar and Sunil Gaikwad.
For emergencies in the Lonavala region, the Shivdurg Mitra Rescue Team helpline numbers are 9822500884 and 8308296655.
