17 stranded revellers rescued from Pandavkada
Seventeen revellers, including nine women and seven minors, who had been stranded at the Pandavkada waterfall in Kharghar were rescued on Tuesday. Despite a ban on entry to the waterfall, the day-trippers had gone there to enjoy a picnic but got stuck as the water level in a stream rose substantially due to heavy rainfall. The firemen from Kharghar and Kalamboli fire brigades rescued them using ladders.
The forest department had banned entry to the Pandavkada waterfall and Kharghar hills in June, in view of the numerous accidents that have taken place in the past few years. Women picnickers with minors, however, entered the area via different routes.
According to the Kharghar police, the revellers were from Dharavi and Chembur and they crossed a stream in the morning when the current of the stream was slow. However, due to incessant rains, the stream was swollen by afternoon, making it impossible for them to return.
An officer from Kharghar fire station said, “Along with the officials from Kalamboli fire station, we reached the spot within a few minutes of receiving the call. The rescue operation continued for three hours and no one sustained any injuries. The revellers were in the 16-27 age group, except for one woman who is 48 years old.”
Sandipan Shinde, a senior inspector of Kharghar police station said, “We allowed the revellers to go to their homes in the evening after they promised that they will not repeat the violation. We have not registered any case against them yet.”
In a similar incident, 116 people, including 78 women and five children, were rescued from Kharghar hills on July 18. The local police and fire brigade officials had rescued them safely after a few hours.