Thane TCS Employees Rescued From Forests Near Panvel After Going Missing On Trek
On Saturday night, 13 Thane-based employees of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) were safely rescued after getting lost in the dense forests and rugged hilly terrain between Irshalgad and Prabalgad in Panvel, Navi Mumbai. The rescue operation, which concluded around 10:30 PM, was led by the Panvel Taluka Police alongside local guides and rescue volunteers, successfully averting a potentially serious mishap.
The group of 13 trekkers had set out for a trek to Irshalgad on Saturday morning. After reaching the fort, they began their descent in the evening with plans to trek towards Machi Prabalgad. However, they lost their way in the dense forest and rugged terrain. As darkness set in and mobile connectivity became unreliable, the trekkers contacted the 112 emergency helpline to seek assistance.
Upon receiving the distress call, Senior Police Inspector Gajanan Ghadge of the Panvel Taluka Police Station mobilized a rescue team. Shedung Beat Marshal-4 personnel Nitin Sonawane and Pradeep Popate led the operation. They were assisted by three police officers, seven police personnel, and experienced local guides Navnath Pardhi, Harishchandra Pardhi, and Nathuram Pardhi from Machi Prabal village. Volunteers from Nisarg Mitra Panvel and rescuers from the Help Foundation also joined the search.
Despite slippery terrain, steep cliffs, and poor visibility, the rescue team searched for several hours before locating all 13 trekkers at around 10:30 PM. They were safely escorted down the hill without any injuries.
The rescued group included Aditya Ashok Vichare, Prakash Santosh Sawant, Abhishek Jayaprakash Bahadurkar, and Chetan Shinde from Juinagar; Yatin Kalia from Vashi; Ruturaj Sadashiv Patil from Kamothe; Deepak Uttam Bankar from Nerul; Rahul Bankar from Sanpada; Ankit Mishra, Deepak Kumar Rajdev Mahato, Aniket Dubey, and Rohit Kumar from Bhandup (West); and Prashant Panchore from Lower Parel. All of them are employed with TCS in Thane.
Senior Police Inspector Gajanan Ghadge stated that the rescue operation was launched immediately after receiving the emergency call on the 112 helpline. He urged citizens to avoid trekking on unfamiliar routes during the monsoon without proper planning, local guides, and adequate safety precautions.
The Panvel Police have advised trekkers to check weather forecasts before venturing into the hills, avoid trekking after dusk, inform family members of their itinerary, and take the assistance of experienced local guides while trekking during the monsoon.
