Lonavala: Two Private Company Employees Drown After Boat Capsizes in Pawana Dam

Pune, 5th December 2024: In a tragic incident on Wednesday evening, two youths drowned in the reservoir of Pawana Dam after their boat capsized. The bodies of Mayur Ravindra Bharsake (25) and Tushar Ravindra Ahire (26), both residents of Padmavati Nagar, Varangaon Road, Bhusawal, were recovered following a two-day search operation conducted by the Shivdurg Rescue Team and Lonavala Rural Police.

The incident occurred near Dudhiware village, where the two men had come for tourism along with six other friends. The group, employed at Scan Reality Pvt. Ltd. in Balewadi, had arrived in Maval taluka on Wednesday morning and stayed at a hotel in the Dudhiware area. Around 4 pm, some of the friends took a private boat ride in the Pawana Dam reservoir. During the ride, the boat capsized, and one of the youths fell into the water. When another jumped in to save him, both were swept away and drowned.

Upon receiving information about the incident, Lonavala Rural Police Inspector Kishor Dhumal, along with police personnel, rushed to the site. The Shivdurg Rescue Team from Lonavala was called to assist in the search operation. The first body was recovered around 8 pm on Wednesday, while the second body was found at approximately 2 pm on Thursday.

The bodies were sent to the Primary Health Center in Khandala for autopsy, and further investigation is being led by Inspector Dhumal.

Questions Raised Over Safety Measures
The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety protocols at Pawana Dam. Eyewitnesses revealed that neither of the victims was wearing a life jacket during the boat ride. Questions have emerged about whether the boat was authorized to operate in the dam’s waters and the overall safety measures in place for tourists.

Local residents have called for an investigation into the operations of private boats in the area, as well as whether the Water Resources Department is enforcing safety regulations. Citizens are demanding strict action against those responsible for allowing such unsafe practices, urging authorities to implement stronger safety measures for tourists in the region.