Pune: Fire Brigade personnel recovered dead body of a 26-year-old youth from Katraj who had swept away from Lake Town area on Wednesday (July 25) while heavy rains were lashing the city.

The deceased youth was identified as Akshay Salunkhe (26). He got swept away on Wednesday evening 6pm at the stream near near Lake Town area in Katraj.

The Fire Brigade Control Room was immediately notified, and a vehicle from Gangadham Fire Station was dispatched to initiate the search. Despite the prompt response, increased water release from the dam and strong currents posed significant challenges, and the youth could not be located that day.

The city had experienced heavy rainfall on Wednesday resulting in flooding in multiple areas. Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, the fire brigade intensified their search efforts on Thursday (July 26).

Vehicles from Gangadham and Katraj Fire Stations, along with the Janata Fire Brigade, were deployed to various key locations including Katraj Lake Town, Shankar Maharaj Math, Swami Vivekananda Statue, and near Kasba. They employed ropes, hooks, life jackets, and life rings in their thorough search operation.

The next day, at around 10 AM, a body was discovered under Dengle Bridge near the Municipal Corporation building. Fire brigade personnel, with the assistance of lifeguard Raju Kachi, successfully retrieved the body and handed it over to the police.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of Fire Chief Devendra Potphode, with participation from fire officers Subhash Jadhav, Pradip Khedekar, Sunil Naiknavare, Kamlesh Chaudhary, and approximately twenty other personnel. The police department, lifeguards, and drainage department also collaborated in the efforts.