An autorickshaw driver drowned while swimming in a pond at Nerul on Sunday. Though, police initially suspected suicide, eyewitnesses confirmed that it was an accidental death.
Namdev Devghare, a resident of Panvel, used to drive his autorickshaw in Nerul and Vashi. “He used to go home once in two days. He also had relatives in Nerul and used to visit them occassionally,” senior police inspector Rajendra Chavan, Nerul police station, said. He said nvestigations revealed that Devghare did not have any personal issues that were bothering him.
Devghare had left his home on Saturday afternoon and, after riding his auto till Sunday morning, had gone to a pond at Sector 18, Nerul, to take a dip. When some onlookers noticed that he had suddenly disappeared, they raised an alarm and informed the fire brigade and the police.
Search operations were conducted till late in the evening and when the police were unable to find his body, they registered a missing person’s report. The body was seen floating in the pond around 11.30 a.m. on Monday.
“He would not have removed his shirt and belongings if he intended to commit suicide. He might have got a cramp or got stuck in some creepers in the water, making it difficult to move. A post-mortem report would give more details,” a police officer said.