Pune: Two students drown in Indrayani River at Moshi, search still on for the third

Pune, August 20, 2024: Two students drowned in Indrayani River at Moshi in Pimpri Chinchwad on Monday, while search and rescue was underway for a third student.

The incident was reported at 8.15 am near Tapkir Wasti in Moshi. The fire brigade department of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the disaster management department and teams of NDRF initiated a search operation immediately upon being alerted and recovered two dead bodies.

The search for the third student is still going on, however, due to low visibility search operation was halted during the evening and will resume on Tuesday. 

The deceased have been identified as Jay Omprakash Dayama 19, from Vani in Nashik and Omkar Shri Krishna Pathak 16, from Parali Vaijanath in Beed district. However, the search for a third student is going on, said officials. 

According to the police, on Monday early morning, several teachers and students of Maharshi Vedavyas Pratishthan’s Vedashree Tapovan, Moshi went to the banks of Indrayani River to perform Shravani and Indrayani River pooja.

While performing the pooja and other rituals, some students misjudged the water current and started drowning. In the commotion to save them, more students jumped into the river. Tragically two students could not be saved and drowned in the river.

Assistant Police Inspector Kiran Pathare from MIDC Bhosari Police Station said Dayama was rushed to the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital where he died during the medical treatment. 

Mahesh Nande Guruji from Vedshree Tapovan, said, “Shravani is an annual puja performed during the month of Shravan. Like every year, this year too, our Guruji along with students went to perform puja. But due to heavy rainfall on Sunday night, the water level of the Indrayani River had increased due to which the mishap occurred.’’ 

He further added, that due to big pits in the riverbed, one of the students started drowning. “Others rushed to save him, but they were trapped in deep water currents,” Nande said. 

Police said most of the students are from Marathwada and they have informed their parents about the incident. Later in the evening, dead bodies were sent for post-mortem procedure. A case of accidental death has been registered at Bhosari MIDC police station on Monday.