The incidents occurred amid continuous rainfall across various parts of Maharashtra, leading to swollen rivers, lakes, and other water bodies. In response, teams from the State Disaster Response Force and the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed for search and rescue operations, officials said
The Ganesh idol immersion processions took place on Saturday. Representational Pic/Shadab Khan
At least four people drowned and 13 others are missing during Ganesh idol immersion ceremonies across various different districts in Maharashtra, police said on Sunday, reported the PTI.
In Pune district’s Chakan area, four individuals were swept away in separate incidents involving rivers and a well, an official confirmed.
Two men were carried away by the Bhama river at Waki Khurd. Another individual was swept away at Shell Pimpalgaon, while one person fell into a well at Birwadi in rural Pune.
Out of the four, two bodies have been recovered, while the search continues for the remaining two, the official added.
In Nanded district, three people were reported swept away during immersion rituals in a river at Gadegaon. One of them was later rescued, but search efforts for the other two are ongoing.
In Nashik, four individuals reportedly faced a similar fate, with one body recovered in Sinnar, police said.
In Jalgaon, three people were reported missing in separate incidents, with search operations still underway.
Thane district also reported three people swept away during immersions. So far, the body of one victim has been recovered, according to officials.
Additionally, in Amravati, a man is feared drowned during an immersion ceremony, police said.
The incidents occurred amid continuous rainfall across various parts of Maharashtra, leading to swollen rivers, lakes, and other water bodies. In response, teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed for search and rescue operations, according to the PTI.
Meanwhile, in an another incident, three men swept away in a creek during Ganpati idol immersion in Maharashtra's Palghar district were saved with the help of a Ro-Ro boat after a quick alert from maritime authorities, officials said on Sunday, as per the PTI.
The incident took place at around 3 pm on Saturday at Narangi jetty in Virar (West), they said.
The three men were participating in the Ganpati idol immersion when one of them slipped and fell into the creek. In a bid to save their friend, the other two men immediately jumped into the water, district disaster management cell chief Vivekanand Kadam said, according to the PTI.
However, due to the low tide and the strong sea water current, the three men got pulled further away from the jetty and they started to drift.
Upon receiving an alert about the incident, Maharashtra Maritime Board Port inspector Navneet Nijai immediately contacted Aadesh Naik, an employee on a nearby Ro-Ro (roll on-roll off) boat service, and relayed the urgent situation, the news agency reported.
The boat was quickly dispatched to the location, reaching the three struggling men in a short time, Kadam said.
The three individuals were later safely pulled out of the waters through a coordinated effort by various agencies and brought back to the jetty, the official said.
(with PTI inputs)
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