PUNE: A youth took up a challenge from his friend and jumped into the waters of the Mutha river from the Baba Bhide bridge in the Deccan area on Sunday evening, but was swept away by the strong current. His friend, who also jumped in, was rescued by the fire brigade.
The rescued youth, Asim Ukil (18), of Kolkata, told the police and fire brigade officials that he and the deceased, Prakashsingh Lohara (20), of Uttarakhand, had dared each other to jump into the river. Ukil said the one who emerged out of the water first was to treat the other.
“Lohara didn’t know how to swim, while Ukil is a good swimmer. Ukil managed to stay afloat in the strong current but Lohara was swept away within seconds of jumping in,” senior inspector Deepak Lagad of the Deccan Gymkhana police said.
Ukil works as a waiter at a restaurant on Kelkar Road in Narayan Peth while Lohara operated the tandoor. They started working at the restaurant about six months ago.
The bridge and the riverside road were submerged on Saturday after the water discharge from the Khadakwasla dam into the Mutha river was increased to 18,491 cusecs. The water level receded early on Sunday morning after the discharge was reduced to 13,000 cusecs. However, with rainfall activity in the catchments picking up, it was increased to 18,000 cusecs in the afternoon. The water was almost touching the surface of the bridge when the two youths jumped in.
Sunday being the seventh day of Ganeshotsav, many people took their Ganesh idols to the riverside for immersion. The fire brigade and the Deccan Gymkhana police maintained a strict vigil at the river, while lifeguards were posted near the bridges.
In the first week of August, a 20-year-old resident of the Kamgar statue slum was swept away after he jumped into the rain-swollen Mutha river.
The rescued youth, Asim Ukil (18), of Kolkata, told the police and fire brigade officials that he and the deceased, Prakashsingh Lohara (20), of Uttarakhand, had dared each other to jump into the river. Ukil said the one who emerged out of the water first was to treat the other.
“Lohara didn’t know how to swim, while Ukil is a good swimmer. Ukil managed to stay afloat in the strong current but Lohara was swept away within seconds of jumping in,” senior inspector Deepak Lagad of the Deccan Gymkhana police said.
Ukil works as a waiter at a restaurant on Kelkar Road in Narayan Peth while Lohara operated the tandoor. They started working at the restaurant about six months ago.
The bridge and the riverside road were submerged on Saturday after the water discharge from the Khadakwasla dam into the Mutha river was increased to 18,491 cusecs. The water level receded early on Sunday morning after the discharge was reduced to 13,000 cusecs. However, with rainfall activity in the catchments picking up, it was increased to 18,000 cusecs in the afternoon. The water was almost touching the surface of the bridge when the two youths jumped in.
Sunday being the seventh day of Ganeshotsav, many people took their Ganesh idols to the riverside for immersion. The fire brigade and the Deccan Gymkhana police maintained a strict vigil at the river, while lifeguards were posted near the bridges.
In the first week of August, a 20-year-old resident of the Kamgar statue slum was swept away after he jumped into the rain-swollen Mutha river.
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