A search operation is underway in Maharashtra`s Thane after a 52-year-old man allegedly fell into Mithbandar Creek near the Ganpati Visarjan Ghat in Kopri area, officials said.
According to the Regional Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation, information about the incident was received at around 6:39 pm on May 14 from a local resident, identified as Sandeep Jagtap.
The missing man has been identified as Datta Lahu Shinlkar, a resident of Parsi Wadi near Vitthal Mandir in Kopri Colony, Thane East.
Officials from the Regional Disaster Management Cell and personnel from the Thane Fire Brigade rushed to the spot soon after the alert was received.
According to CCTV footage and information shared by family members, Shinlkar was last seen heading towards the Mithbandar Creek Visarjan Ghat at around 11:45 am on May 13.
Search halted due to poor visibility
Authorities said the search operation was temporarily suspended on the night of May 14 due to inadequate lighting and strong water currents in the creek, which hampered rescue efforts.
Fresh search resumed on Friday
On Friday, teams from the Disaster Management Cell, Thane Disaster Response Force, and the Thane Fire Brigade resumed the search operation with the help of local fishermen and boats.
Officials said the teams have been carrying out intensive search operations in the creek for the past three hours.
10-year-old boy drowns while swimming in lake in Thane
In a similar incident earlier in April, a 10-year-old boy lost his life after drowning while he was swimming with his friends in a lake in Thane city of Maharashtra, police said.
The incident took place on Tuesday at a lake in the Mogarpada locality, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Kasarwadavali Police Station.
According to police, the boy had gone to the lake with his friends and entered the water for a swim, during which he drowned.
Rescue efforts launched
His friends raised an alarm after the incident, prompting police and fire brigade personnel to rush to the scene. After a search operation, the boy’s body was later recovered from the lake.
Authorities have registered a case of accidental death, and further formalities are being carried out.
