Nashik and Kolhapur districts have witnessed a surge in drowning incidents, with 12 deaths reported in Nashik and 21 in Kolhapur and Sangli combined over the past two months.
Nashik District: 12 Drownings, Including Minors
In Nashik district, the latest tragedy occurred on Thursday when three minors and their elder sister drowned in the Gangapur Dam. This follows a May incident where four individuals from Nashik Road lost their lives at Kashyapi Dam.
According to a senior officer from the Nashik District Disaster Management Office, drowning deaths in prohibited areas have reached 17 since January 2026, a sharp increase from eight cases in 2025 and seven in 2024 (excluding suicides).
Officials expressed concern that most victims are children and young adults. The Water Resources Department (WRD) has installed danger signs at entry points, but officials stress the public should avoid these strictly prohibited zones entirely. “During summer, many people visit dams to beat the heat and cannot resist stepping into the water,” a senior WRD officer said. “Dam beds are not like swimming pools. Unless you are a skilled swimmer with protective gear and knowledge of underwater topography, stay out.”
The officer added that completely sealing dam boundaries is unfeasible as farmers and fishermen need access. Locals are aware of risks, but visitors often underestimate danger. The district administration is exploring stricter enforcement to restrict public movement in high-risk zones.
Kolhapur and Sangli: 21 Drownings in One Month
In Kolhapur district, tragedies began in late May. On May 20, a 30-year-old woman and a 12-year-old child drowned in the Panchaganga River. The next day, three people died in separate incidents in the Dudhganga and Bhogavati rivers. On May 24, a drowning was reported in the Hiranyakeshi River at Inchnal village.
The final week of May saw further deaths: three young sisters drowned in a farm pond in Chandgad on May 26, and another person died in a canal in Sangli’s Kavathemahankal. The following day, a person drowned in a lake at Jyotiba Hill.
In June, fatalities continued, often involving leisure travelers. On June 2, two Kolhapur residents drowned at Aarey-Ware beach in Ratnagiri and Shiroda beach in Sindhudurg. The deadliest day was June 11, with six drownings: three brothers from Sangli in the Jagbudi River in Khed; a mother and daughter in a canal in Sangli’s Tasgaon tehsil; and a victim at the Shingnapur barrage on the Panchaganga River.
Dr. Prasad Sankpal, head of the Kolhapur District Disaster Management team, attributed many deaths to preventable risks. “People are losing their lives to carelessness—swimming in unfamiliar waters, consuming alcohol before entering, overconfidence, and reckless behavior,” he said.
