Woman's body recovered from 35-foot railway gorge in Khalapur
The partially decomposed body of an unidentified woman, who is suspected to have fallen from a moving train, was recovered from a 30-to-35-foot-deep gorge near Mone Jambhrung Cabin in Khalapur along the Pune-Mumbai railway line on Sunday morning.
The body was first spotted on Saturday night by a railway official near Kilometer No. 109/235 on the railway route. The official immediately alerted the Khopoli Police, and rescue teams were mobilised. However, due to the darkness and difficult terrain of the gorge, the retrieval operation was delayed and commenced early on Sunday morning.
Police Inspector Sachin Hire of the Khopoli Police Station stated that the information about the body lying in the gorge was received on Saturday night, but it could only be seen from above. He confirmed that rescue teams successfully recovered the body on Sunday morning.
No identity card, mobile phone, bag, or other personal belongings were found with the deceased. However, the woman was still wearing her ornaments, including a mangalsutra, earrings, and anklets. Because these items were intact, police have initially ruled out robbery as a motive.
According to Police Inspector Hire, the body does not appear to be more than two days old. The police are currently verifying missing person complaints registered in the surrounding areas to establish her identity.
The deceased is described as being between 40 and 45 years old, of sturdy build, and about five feet tall. She had long black hair, a fair complexion, and was wearing a black top with pink stripes, red leggings, and brown slippers.
Police suspect that the woman accidentally fell into the gorge from a moving train and sustained fatal injuries. However, the exact cause of the incident will be determined after further investigation.
An accidental death has been registered at the Khopoli Police Station, and the body has been sent to the Khalapur Primary Health Centre for a post-mortem examination. Police Sub-Inspector Hiraman Waghmare is investigating the case.
