Boat with 8 capsizes in dam backwaters, 3 die in Junnar

PUNE: Three labourers drowned, while five others swam ashore after an overloaded fishing boat capsized in the backwaters of Manikdoh dam at Kewadi village in Junnar, around 130km from the city, on Friday morning.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) recovered the bodies at the request of Pune Rural police after the efforts by local residents, swimmers and fishermen to trace the bodies proved futile.
The police identified the deceased as Ganesh Sable (25), Swapnil Sable (21), and Pandharinath Mundhe (30). “We have registered a case of accidental death in this regard,” an officer of the Junnar police said.
Inspector Yashwant Nalawade, in-charge of the Junnar police station, told TOI over a phone, “Three passengers, all labourers, and five other men boarded the boat from Kewadi village to Usran village for the purpose of purchasing fish. The boat overturned as it could not sustain the weight of the eight men.”
He said five of the eight men swam to safety, while three others drowned. “After receiving information about the incident, we rushed to the spot and sought the services of local residents, swimmers and fishermen to trace the bodies, but all in vain,” he said.
“ We then summoned the NDRF personnel around 2.15pm, who used boats and nets, among other equipment, to bring out the bodies of the deceased around 3.35pm,” Nalawade added.
The bodies of the deceased have been handed over to the victims’ families after carrying out an autopsy at a primary health centre.
“Four of the five people who survived the incident fled after the incident. We are trying to trace them to record their statements. We are also questioning the boatman,” the officer added.
Rohidas Korde-Patil of Mankeshwar village, who informed the police about the incident, said, “After eight men boarded the boat, water started seeping in, which created panic among the passengers. The boat overturned after five men, including the boatman, jumped into the water, though three others drowned.”
The boat, with a capacity to carry three passengers, was constructed using tin material usually used for fishing. The boat capsized because it was ferrying passengers beyond the prescribed capacity. “The incident could have been averted had the boatman exercised the precaution,” he said.
“Around 20 boats, constructed by fishermen, operate in the backwaters of the dam. They charge Rs10 per passenger. A local MLA had donated a boat to ferry 20 passengers at a time to Kewadi gram panchayat two weeks ago. But there is no authority in place to regulate the boats plying illegally without security measures,” Korde-Aptil said.