A tragic incident occurred at the Kashyapi dam in Nashik on Tuesday evening, where a man, his seven-month pregnant wife, and two teenage boys from their neighborhood drowned. A two-year-old child who was left on the bank survived and witnessed the entire event.
Details of the Victims
The deceased have been identified as Sachin Thombre (30), a civil engineer, his wife Rohini (25), and two teenage brothers — Ketan (16) and Kaushal Pawar (14). All were residents of Makhmalabad, Nashik.
Sequence of Events
According to police reports, the Thombre couple had taken their two-year-old daughter and the two boys for an outing to the Kashyapi dam, located 25 km from Nashik along the Nashik-Harsul Road. They arrived at the spot around 5 pm, parked their car on the roadside, and walked 300-400 meters to the water's edge. After having snacks, one of the group entered the water but, unable to gauge the depth, began drowning. In a desperate attempt to rescue that person, the others rushed in one after another, but all were swept away by the strong currents.
The couple's two-year-old daughter, who remained on the bank, witnessed the drowning. When she started crying, a woman at some distance noticed her distress and approached. The toddler pointed toward the water, indicating where her parents had disappeared. Alarmed, the woman ran back nearly 400 meters to the road and alerted a local restaurant owner, who then contacted the village police patil and informed the Harsul police.
Rescue Operation
Assistant Inspector Jeevan Borse stated that he immediately mobilized local swimmers and launched a rescue operation. By 7 pm, all four bodies were retrieved and sent to Nashik Civil Hospital for postmortem.
Borse added that when they reached the spot, a cellphone in Rohini Thombre's purse was ringing. It was Sachin's mother calling. The police instructed her to hand the phone to another family member. Sachin's brother then spoke to the police and was told to reach the incident spot immediately. Once the family members arrived, the little girl was handed over to them.
Warning and Ongoing Investigation
“We have put up warning boards and have repeatedly advised people against entering the water, as the depth is highly deceptive and dangerous,” Borse said. The police emphasized that the deaths highlight the risks posed by the dam's uneven and misleading depth. Further inquiries are underway.
