A tragic incident unfolded in the scenic hill station of Lonavla as a 20-year-old law student from Belapur in Navi Mumbai, who had ventured out for trekking on January 31, was discovered deceased in a gorge at Tiger Point on Sunday. The recovery operation, led by the Pune Rural police and the Shivdurga Mitra rescue team from Lonavla, culminated late on Sunday night, with the body subsequently sent for a post-mortem examination.
Missing Person Alert and Initial Search Efforts
According to Senior Inspector Dinesh Tayade of the Lonavla Rural police station, the student's family reported that she had left home on January 31, informing them of her plans to trek in the Duke's Nose area of Lonavla. When she failed to return home that evening, her concerned family promptly alerted the authorities. "Our teams conducted thorough searches in the Duke's Nose region, but we were unable to locate the student at that time. On Sunday, her family formally lodged a missing person complaint," Inspector Tayade explained.
Discovery of Belongings and Rescue Operation
The breakthrough in the case came when a food stall owner at Tiger Point stumbled upon the student's bag. By using the phone number found on her identity card, the stall owner contacted her family, who then immediately informed the police. "We swiftly mobilized the Shivdurga Mitra rescue team and arrived at the spot with our dog squad. The canine unit indicated the precise location from which the student likely fell," Tayade added.
The rescue operation was closely monitored by Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill, along with other senior officials who were present at the site to oversee the efforts.
Challenging Descent and Drone Assistance
Sunil Gaikwad of Shivdurga Mitra, Lonavla, detailed the arduous rescue mission. Two team members, Yogesh Sutar and Anil Sutar, began their descent into the gorge around 2:30 PM, navigating a treacherous drop of nearly 390 feet. To aid in the search, police drones and additional drones from Pune were deployed during the operation. "With the assistance of drone technology, the student's body was traced at approximately 4:45 PM," Gaikwad stated.
The rescuers secured the body on a stretcher and, after a painstaking effort, successfully lifted it from the gorge around 9:30 PM on Sunday.
Legal Proceedings and Investigation
Following the recovery, a case of accidental death has been registered at the Lonavla Rural police station. The authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the exact circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident, which has cast a shadow over the popular trekking destination.
