A 28-year-old man from Rajangaon, Pune, identified as Pratik Raskar, jumped into the sea from the Atal Setu bridge near Ulwe in Navi Mumbai. The incident occurred around 1:29 am on Sunday, as captured by CCTV cameras on the bridge. Raskar, who worked as a share market trading instructor, had stopped his SUV at the 13 km mark on the Mumbai carriageway before leaping into the water.
Search Operation Launched
Upon receiving the alert, the Ulwe Police, along with maritime security forces and specialized coastal police rescue teams, launched a massive multi-agency search operation to locate Raskar. After more than seven hours of searching, the police found Raskar's mobile phone, driving license, and Aadhaar card inside his SUV parked on the bridge. They contacted his cousin brother to inform him about the incident.
Raskar's brother-in-law, Dhiraj Jadhav (32), a transporter, arrived from Pune and lodged a missing complaint at the Ulwe police station around 9 am on Sunday. The police handed over Raskar's SUV to Jadhav. The search operation continued for over 36 hours but was discontinued after sunset on Monday.
Family Shocked
Speaking to the media, Dhiraj Jadhav said, "My brother-in-law Pratik Raskar left his Ranjangaon residence in his SUV on Saturday around 10:30 pm, telling his mother he was going out for dinner. When he did not return, we tried calling him repeatedly but got no response. On Sunday morning, we received a call from Ulwe police informing us that Pratik had jumped into the sea from Atal Setu and his SUV was found on the bridge. I immediately went to the Ulwe police station, and the search operation was underway. Since he was not found, we lodged a missing complaint."
Jadhav added, "Pratik did not appear to be in any financial crisis. He never discussed his profession or personal issues with the family. The reason for such a drastic step has shocked us all."
Police Investigation
Arjun Rajane, senior inspector of Ulwe police station, said, "Our priority is to find Pratik, who apparently drowned in the sea. It is difficult to predict where the body might have drifted. Coastal police teams are searching along the banks of the Uran creek in case the body washes ashore. Simultaneously, we are probing all possible angles to determine why Pratik jumped into the sea. He invested in stock market trading while conducting classes. Since he was not under financial stress, that motive has been ruled out for now. We are also investigating whether a relationship breakup could have led to this step. We will obtain his mobile call data records for further inquiry."
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