Man Drowns and Friend Goes Missing in Swollen Panvel River During Outing

A 26-year-old man drowned while attempting to rescue his friend who was caught in a whirlpool in the swollen Vaghachiwadi river near Dodhani village in Panvel taluka on Sunday evening.

The deceased has been identified as Sumit Yashwant Pawar, a resident of Vichumbe. His friend, Nayan Mhatre, was swept downstream and remains missing.

According to the Panvel Taluka Police, the incident occurred around 5:30 PM when a group of 11 friends from Vichumbe went to the river near Prithvi Farm House for a monsoon outing. Pawar and Mhatre entered the river for a swim despite strong currents caused by heavy rainfall over the previous days.

Police reported that Mhatre was caught in a whirlpool and began drowning. Pawar immediately jumped in to rescue him but was also trapped in the powerful current. While Mhatre was swept away, another friend, 27-year-old Ratnesh Sunil Tupe, risked his life to enter the river and successfully pulled Pawar out of the water.

Pawar had inhaled a large amount of water and was rushed to the Panvel Sub-District Hospital in a private vehicle. Doctors declared him dead before admission.

Police and Fire Brigade personnel launched a search operation immediately after the incident. The operation was suspended on Sunday night due to darkness and resumed on Monday. Efforts to trace Mhatre were still underway at the time of reporting.

The Panvel Taluka Police have registered an accidental death case and are currently investigating the incident.

Following the tragedy, a Panvel Taluka Police official appealed to the public to stay away from water bodies. "We appeal to citizens to avoid entering rivers, waterfalls and other prohibited tourist spots during the monsoon. Water levels and currents can rise suddenly, making such places extremely dangerous," the official said.