Two drown in Raigad’s Kundalika River; search underway for two missing

Raigad: A family visit to Shiravali village in Mangaon taluka turned tragic when four members were swept away by the fast-flowing Kundalika River on Saturday afternoon. Two bodies have been recovered, while the search for the other two continues.

The incident occurred when the Pedekar and Sonar families, visiting their native village, decided to stop by the river, located about 7 km from their home. Senior inspector Nivrutti Borhade from Mangaon police station confirmed the tragedy, stating, “The women of both families are sisters who had come to visit their mother in Shiravali. The families arrived on Thursday and planned a sightseeing outing on Saturday afternoon. During the trip, the group, comprising 12 to 14 members, stopped at the river to freshen up.”

Trouble began when Siddesh Sonar, 21, a resident of Sion, Mumbai, slipped and fell into the river while washing clothes. In an attempt to rescue him, his sister, Kajal Sonar, 26, jumped in but was also swept away. The situation escalated when their cousins, Siddhi and Soni Pedekar, jumped into the river to save them. “The water flow was extremely strong due to excess water being released from the hydroelectric project at the Mulshi dam,” explained Inspector Borhade. “All four were swept away in the current.” A rescue team recovered the bodies of Siddesh and Siddhi approximately 500 metres downstream. “Search operations will resume on Sunday morning to locate Kajal and Soni,” a rescue worker said. The tragedy has left the families and the Shiravali village community in shock. The authorities have urged people to exercise caution near rivers, especially during periods of strong currents.