Pune News: Tourist Falls 170 Feet Into Gorge At Sinhagad Fort, Rescued After Night Operation

A tourist visiting the historic Sinhagad Fort for a sunset view narrowly escaped death after slipping and falling nearly 150 to 170 feet into a deep gorge on Tuesday evening. The shocking incident triggered a massive rescue operation by the Haveli Police and the disaster management rescue team, who successfully pulled the injured tourist to safety after a challenging mission carried out in complete darkness. The daring rescue operation has received widespread appreciation for the quick response and bravery shown by the personnel involved. The tourist was later shifted to a private hospital in Pune for further medical treatment after being rescued from the valley.

The injured tourist has been identified as Yogesh Shitole, who had visited Sinhagad Fort on Tuesday morning to enjoy nature and explore the historic site. After spending the day visiting different locations around the fort, he reached the famous ‘Hawa Point’ area on the western side of the fort during the evening hours. According to reports, Yogesh had gone close to the edge of the cliff to capture photographs of the picturesque sunset. While attempting to take pictures between 4:30 pm and 5 pm, he accidentally slipped on grass near the edge, lost his balance, and plunged nearly 150 feet into the gorge below, suffering serious injuries in the fall.

Due to the severe impact of the fall, Yogesh reportedly lost consciousness and remained lying injured in the gorge for nearly two to two-and-a-half hours. Around 7 pm to 7:30 pm, he regained partial consciousness despite the darkness and isolation inside the valley. Showing remarkable courage, he managed to use his mobile phone and dial the emergency helpline number 112 to inform the control room that he had fallen into the gorge. As soon as the information was received, Haveli Police personnel Aniket Kale understood the seriousness of the situation and immediately contacted the Haveli Disaster Management Rescue Team for urgent assistance.

Within a short time, police officials and rescue personnel reached Sinhagad Fort and launched a difficult nighttime rescue mission. The operation was carried out amid freezing weather, slippery terrain, and extremely poor visibility inside the gorge. Using ropes and torchlights, the rescue team descended nearly 170 feet into the valley in search of the injured tourist. After extensive efforts, the team successfully located Yogesh and carefully brought him back to the top of the cliff. He was immediately shifted from the fort area to a private hospital in Pune, where he is currently undergoing treatment. Authorities have now urged tourists to remain cautious while taking selfies or photographs near dangerous cliff edges to avoid such potentially fatal accidents in the future.