Latur: Heavy rainfall has been lashing Latur district for the past three days, and on Tuesday, four people were swept away in separate flood-related incidents in Jalkot taluka.
Three persons including a female Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel - were swept away when an auto-rickshaw overturned on a flooded bridge over the Patoda (Kh.)–Malhipparga stream around 8 pm on Tuesday.
The auto-rickshaw was heading from Malhipparga to Udgir via Patoda. On the way, water was flowing over the bridge on the stream. The driver, Sangram Sonkambale (35), failed to gauge the depth of the water in the darkness, and the rickshaw overturned into the gushing stream. The strong current swept away CRPF woman constable Surya alias Sangeeta Suryawanshi (32, Malhipparga), Vaibhav Pundlik Gaikwad (24, Narsingwadi), and Vitthal Dhondiba Gawle (50, Patoda Bu.). Search operations for them continued late into the night.
The driver Sonkambale and another passenger, Bunty alias Rakesh Waghmare, managed to survive by clinging to bushes.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day around 10 am, Sudarshan Ghonshette was swept away while crossing the Tiru River. By late night, none of the four missing persons had been traced. A disaster management team had reached the site, and rescue operations were underway with the help of government officials and villagers.
Surya alias Sangeeta was headed to Delhi…
Surya alias Sangeeta Suryawanshi was serving in the CRPF and had come home on leave. She was on her way back to Delhi to rejoin duty on Tuesday via Udgir. She was travelling from her village with her sister’s son in an auto when the vehicle was swept away by the floodwaters.
Heavy rainfall has caused rivers, streams and nullahs to overflow. Water is flowing over many bridges. No one should take unnecessary risks and try to cross waterlogged bridges, former minister and MLA Sanjay Bansode appealed. The families of the victims will be given appropriate assistance, and the government and administration stand firmly with them, he assured.