In a bizarre incident, two friends, Rushikesh Kashinath Thite (20) and Prakash Ambadas Andhale (21), residents of Dangat Patil Nagar in Shivane, were playing their favourite mobile game, PUBG, inside a drainage pipe on the Mutha riverbed on Saturday morning when they became stranded after the water level of the river rose.
According to the information received, Thite and Andhale were following their daily routine of playing the online multiplayer battle game. Engrossed in the game, they remained oblivious to their surroundings as the water level rose after the irrigation department released over 30,000 cusecs of water from the Khadakwasla Dam following incessant rains in the reservoir’s catchment areas on Saturday. When they realised that the pipe was flooded, they managed to shift to an island-like ground in the middle of the river.
Later, the fire brigade and the police were alerted, and a rescue operation began. It took two hours to rescue them due to the strong water current.
After the rescue, the duo was taken to a nearby hospital as they had suffered minor injuries.
