In a humanitarian gesture, the Navi Mumbai Police and Fire Brigade rushed to the rescue of at least 116 picnickers who were stranded on a hill on Sunday following heavy rains that cut off the return route, officials said here.
The revelers, including at least 78 women and five kids had gone for a picnic in Kharghar's lush green hills streaming with several big and small waterfalls.
According to Kharghar Police Station Senior Police Inspector S. Mali, they managed to wade through a shallow stream in the morning.
However, by afternoon, the shallow stream had swelled into a fast-moving river making it impossible for the picnickers to cross over to go home, he told mediapersons.
Panicking, they made frantic calls to the police and fire brigade which soon organized the two-hour long rescue operation late on Sunday.
The rescue team of around 15 fire-brigade personnel deployed ladders and thick nylon ropes to create a human wall in the gushing stream barely a dozen metres wide, and helped the marooned people cross over, without any injuries.
Since last month, the Navi Mumbai Police have banned entry to the Pandavkada waterfalls in Kharghar, and other local popular hill picnic destinations, owing to several tragic incidents that have occurred in the past.
However, villagers rue that people from Navi Mumbai, Thane, Mumbai still manage to sneak in despite the police presence and land themselves in life-threatening situations.
On his part, Mali has again warned that henceforth, if anybody is found venturing into these areas, they will "not be spared".
2 CRPF personnel killed in attack by armed group in Manipur
Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, including a Sub Inspector, were killed and two others have been injured after armed groups attacked a camp of security forces in Manipur’s Bishnupur district early on Saturday, police said.
Land subsidence leaves 350 people homeless in J&K’s Ramban District
Over 350 people in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K’s) Ramban District abandoned their homes on Saturday after destruction of the houses due to land subsidence.
Houthi leader vows to continue maritime attacks, calls Indian Ocean 'new theatre of confrontation'
Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen's Houthi group, has vowed to continue its naval operations in the Red Sea, rejecting media reports suggesting a decrease in Houthi maritime attacks, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.
Second phase of Lok Sabha polls sees enthusiastic voter turnout from Jammu to Kerala, Maharashtra to Tripura
The BJP, holding a significant number of seats in this phase, considers these elections crucial for maintaining and expanding its influence to secure a substantial majority in the Lok Sabha.
EC suspends 26 Tripura govt staff for taking part in political events, violation of poll code
The Election Commission (EC) has so far suspended 26 Tripura government employees, including security personnel, for participating in political events, election campaigns, and violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC),
Massive crowd greets PM Modi in Bareilly roadshow
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a massive roadshow in Bareilly to garner support for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Chhatrapal Gangwar.
Police revolver among large cache of arms seized from Sandeshkhali, claims CBI
A Colt official police revolver was among a large cache of firearms seized by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from a house at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Paragans, the CBI claimed in a statement issued on Friday evening.
DMs, SPs of violence-hit MP districts transferred
The farmers agitation entered its eighth day on Thursday. The peasants have been on strike since June 1, demanding loan waiver and fair price for their produce.