At least four people drowned while 13 others remain missing after idol immersions marking the end of the Ganesh festival in Maharashtra, police officials confirmed on Sunday. Tragic incidents were reported from several districts, including Pune, Nanded, Nashik, Jalgaon, Thane, and Amravati. Authorities said that most cases occurred when devotees entered overflowing rivers, lakes, or wells during the immersion process. Despite repeated appeals for caution, heavy rainfall and swollen water bodies contributed to the accidents. Search operations are underway across multiple locations with the help of local police, state disaster response teams, and other rescue agencies.
In Pune district’s Chakan region, four immersion-related mishaps were recorded across different water bodies, officials said. Two men were swept away in the Bhama River at Waki Khurd, while another person drowned in Shell Pimpalgaon. A fourth incident occurred in Birwadi, Pune rural, where a man accidentally slipped into a well. Of the four victims, two bodies have been recovered while search efforts continue for the remaining two. Police, along with divers and rescue workers, are coordinating with local residents to intensify search operations and prevent further accidents in the area.
Similar tragedies unfolded in other districts. In Nanded’s Gadegaon, three individuals were dragged away by strong currents during idol immersion. One person was rescued, while two remain untraced. In Nashik, four people were swept away, with one body retrieved in Sinnar. Jalgaon district also reported three people missing in separate incidents during the rituals. In Thane, three individuals were washed away, of whom one body was recovered. Another immersion-related drowning was feared in Amravati, adding to the tally of casualties reported across Maharashtra. Officials said rescue operations are ongoing in all affected regions.
Heavy rainfall across Maharashtra in recent days has worsened the situation, causing rivers, lakes, and reservoirs to overflow, thereby making immersion activities more dangerous. Authorities confirmed that the swelling of water bodies played a major role in the accidents reported during Ganesh idol immersions. To tackle the crisis, teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in affected areas. These teams are engaged in continuous rescue and search operations while appealing to citizens to avoid unsafe immersion points and to exercise extreme caution.