Three villagers from Kalyan Taluka who were stranded near the Ulhas River on Monday afternoon were rescued by two brave locals who risked boating across the swollen river. The incident occurred near Mohili village within the jurisdiction of Kalyan Taluka.
The rescued individuals have been identified as Deu Mangal Gaikar (55), Shankar Patil (55), and Savalaram Waghe (60). The courageous rescuers have been identified as Gurunath Pawar and his son Rohan Pawar, who navigated a mini-boat across the river to reach and rescue the stranded men.
According to officials from the Kalyan revenue department, the three villagers had gone to graze cattle on the other side of the river but became trapped after the water level rose rapidly due to heavy rainfall.
The Kalyan Fire Department said they received information at around 12 PM on Monday about the stranded individuals. A fire engine and a team of personnel were dispatched to the site. However, due to the strong current and rising water level, fire officials were unable to step into the river to carry out the rescue. Witnessing this, the two villagers launched their own rescue using a boat and successfully brought the men back to safety.
Sachin Sejale, Tahsildar of Kalyan, stated, “Three villagers had taken their buffaloes for grazing across the river in the morning. They were stranded after the water level surged in the afternoon. Locals alerted us, and we informed the fire department. The two villagers—father (Gurunath Pawar) and son (Rohan Pawar)—carried out the rescue operation and safely brought them back by 2 PM.”
Meanwhile, the Rayta Bridge has been closed due to the rising water levels of the Ulhas River. Although the water has not yet overflowed onto the bridge, traffic has been diverted via Titwala to prevent congestion and ensure safety.
