Pune: In two heartbreaking incidents over the weekend, five teenagers lost their lives to drowning in separate parts of Pune district, reigniting urgent conversations around water safety in the region.
On Saturday morning, a group of four teenage boys from Medankarwadi tragically drowned while swimming in a percolation tank located in Kadachiwadi near Chakan. The incident occurred around 11 a.m.
Initial police investigations indicate that the boys entered the water without knowledge of its depth. “They underestimated the danger. We were alerted by the families when the boys didn’t return home, and later we found their clothes and footwear near the tank,” said Senior Inspector Pramod Wagh of Chakan Police Station.
A joint search operation was launched with the assistance of local trekking groups. All four bodies were recovered by evening. The deceased were children of migrant workers who had moved to the area for employment. Post-mortem examinations have been completed, and the police have registered an accidental death report.
17-Year-Old Drowns During Lonavla Picnic
In a separate incident on Friday, a 17-year-old boy from Kasarwadi drowned while on a picnic near a dam in Lonavla. He was among a group of 13 friends enjoying a day trip.
“While several of them entered the water, the boy was caught by strong currents and swept away,” confirmed Kishor Dhumal, Senior Inspector at Lonavla Rural Police Station. Despite quick efforts by his companions and local rescue teams, he could not be saved.
His body was retrieved later the same day with help from the Shiv Durga rescue team and has been sent for autopsy.
Monsoon Nearing: Urgent Call for Water Safety
As the monsoon season approaches, authorities are urging the public—especially parents—to remain vigilant. The back-to-back drownings have underlined the risks of unsupervised swimming in unfamiliar or natural water bodies. Police have appealed for increased awareness and stricter personal safety measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
