In a successful rescue mission, a group of four college students from Sinhgad Technical Institute College in Vadgaon, Pune, were found safe after losing their way during a trekking expedition in the scenic Maval region. The incident, which took place on June 27, unfolded due to inclement weather conditions and unfamiliar terrain, prompting concerned parents to contact local authorities.
Fortunately, just before the battery of their mobile phone was about to die, the stranded college students managed to send their last known location to their worried parents. This crucial piece of information played a significant role in expediting the rescue operation.
The students had embarked on a trek from Kondeshwar to Dhak Bhairi, but heavy rain, dense fog, and the challenging forest topography led to them losing their route. Worried about their well-being, parents reached out to the local police, who swiftly initiated a search operation at around 10 pm on Tuesday. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Kamshet police station sought assistance from several organizations, including Shivdurg Mitra Lonavala, Disaster Mitra Maval, and Wildlife Rescuers of Maval.
The collective efforts of these organizations, along with the support of the local community, proved pivotal in locating the missing students. After an exhaustive five-hour search, the rescue team successfully found the students near the Kusur Plateau around 3:30 am on Wednesday. Although the students were safe, they felt scared after the ordeal they had endured.
The rescue operation was carried out by a dedicated team comprising members from Shivdurg Mitra Lonavla, including Sunil Gaikwad, Mahesh Mhasne, Yogesh Umbre, Ratan Singh, and Harsh Tonde. Notably, the Wildlife Protector Maval Founder Nilesh Sampatrao Garade, Disaster Management Chairman Ganesh Nisal, Ganesh Dhore, Vinay Sawant, Satyam Sawant, Shubham Kakade, Kamal Pardeshi, Jigar Solanki, Vicky Daundkar, Sahil Nair, and Police Patil, villagers also played crucial roles in the rescue operation.
Senior police inspector Sanjay Jagtap commended the students for sharing their Google location, which greatly aided the police in narrowing down their search. He revealed that the students had intended to explore the Dhak Bhairi caves but veered off course due to heavy rainfall and adverse conditions.
