Thane: A tragic incident occurred in Shahapur taluka of Thane district during Ganesh Visarjan celebrations on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi. Five workers from the Shivtej Mitra Mandal drowned in the Bharangi River during the immersion process. One person has died, two have been rescued, and a search operation is underway for the remaining two.
The deceased has been identified as Prateek Munde. The rescued individuals, Ramnath Ghare and Bhagwan Wagh, are currently undergoing treatment at Shahapur Sub-District Hospital. The search for Kuldeep Jakhre and Datta Lote continued late into Saturday night, conducted by lifeguards and members of the mandal, as reported by Loksatta.
The incident took place around 6:30 pm on Saturday in Mundewadi, Asangaon, while preparations were ongoing for the immersion of the Ganesh idol. According to reports, the aarti was being performed on the banks of the Bharangi River near a railway bridge when the mishap occurred.
During the aarti, Datta Lote went to swim in the river, which was overflowing due to recent rains. Underestimating the depth and current, he began to drown. In an attempt to save him, Prateek Munde, Ramnath Ghare, Bhagwan Wagh, and Kuldeep Jakhre jumped in after him but were also swept away by the current.
Yogeshwar Nadekar, along with fellow mandal members, managed to pull Ramnath and Bhagwan out of the water. Later, the lifeguard team recovered Prateek Munde, who was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival. According to the report, the Police and rescue teams continue the search for Kuldeep Jakhre and Datta Lote.
