Two drown in Bhushi dam reservoir at Lonavala

Lonavala Town police station identified the deceased as Mohammed Jamal (21) and Sahil Ashrafali Shaikh (22), both from Uttar Pradesh who worked as electricians in Pune. “The two deceased were part of a group of 10 people who had come to Bhushi dam area for an outing on Sunday afternoon. A major portion of the periphery of the Bhushi dam reservoir has fencing. We have found out that at the location where this group entered the waters, the fence has been broken,” said Suhas Jagtap, in-charge of Lonavala Town Police Station.

“Probe suggests that despite precautionary signs and warnings from on duty officials, the group entered the water. Two of them could not gauge the depth and drowned. After the other group members informed the police, a search was launched,” said Inspector Jagtap. Police roped in the local group of search and rescue experts, Shivdurga Mitra.

Officials said that the bodies of the two deceased were fished out later in the evening. Multiple drownings have been reported at Bhushi dam reservoir over the last several years, prompting authorities to issue prohibitory orders every monsoon. Officials said that due to the large expanse of the reservoir, it is next to impossible to deploy personnel all over the area.