Pleasure trip to Lonavla turns fatal for two friends

The deceased were identified as Deepak Maruti Potdar (31), the executive editor of Marathi weekly magazine Krantitej, and Bhagyashree Undale (26), an engineer with a leading software company.u00a0

Potdar was from Parvati Gaon, while Undale was from Sahakar Nagar. The two had gone to the dam with a group of friends.u00a0The Lonavla police said while Potdar and some other friends went for a swim, Undale watched them from the edge of the dam. The police said she lost her balance and fell into the water.u00a0

To rescue his friend, Potdar swam towards her, only to be clutched by a panicked Undale and turned into a victim from a saviour. Both drowned around 3 pm. "Deepak tried saving her but a panicked Bhagyashree held on to him, resulting in eventual drowning of the duo. The locals nearby also failed to save them," said Police Inspector Vishnu Pawar.u00a0The bodies were fished out an hour-and-half later with help from local people.u00a0