Kharghar: Man Drowns at Pandavkada Waterfall Amid Heavy Rain, Strong Water Flow
A 24-year-old Panvel man, Aditya Ramjeet Vishwakarma, drowned while swimming in the pool below Pandavkada waterfall in Kharghar on Thursday amid heavy rain and strong water flow. CIDCO firefighters launched a rescue operation after his friends raised an alarm. Vishwakarma was found 10-12 feet deep, trapped in a rocky crevice, and was declared dead at a local hospital.
A 24-year-old man from Panvel drowned while swimming in the pool below Pandavkada waterfall in Kharghar on Thursday afternoon, August 13, despite a rescue operation by the CIDCO fire brigade amid heavy rain and a strong flow of water. The incident occurred as the area received heavy rainfall, making the search operation difficult for rescuers.
The deceased, Aditya Ramjeet Vishwakarma, a resident of Navnath Nagar in Forest Colony, Panvel, had reached Pandavkada around 1.30pm with his brother Ayush, 22, and two friends, police said. According to police, Vishwakarma entered the pool below the waterfall to swim but subsequently drowned. Birthday Trek Turns Tragic: Ketan Vishal Agarwal Dies After Falling Into Gorge at Lohagad Fort in Lonavala.
Panvel Man Drowns at Pandavkada Waterfall
Vishwakarma’s friends alerted the CIDCO fire station in Kharghar around 2.15pm. A fire vehicle and a team of firefighters immediately rushed to the spot and began a search operation. The rescue team comprised CIDCO fire officer Prashant Darekar and firemen Suraj Patil, Pritam Patil, Chetan Pawar and Kaustubh Vaydande.
Officials said the weather and water conditions made the rescue effort challenging. Heavy rain and the strong flow of water hampered the search as firefighters initially used ropes to look for Vishwakarma in the pool.
Body Found 10-12 Feet Underwater
After the initial search failed to locate him, firefighters entered the water and conducted a detailed search. Vishwakarma was eventually found at a depth of around 10 to 12 feet, trapped in a rocky crevice.
Firefighters pulled him out of the water, placed him on a stretcher and carried him down the hill. He was then handed over to an ambulance and taken to a local hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival, police said.
The Kharghar police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) in connection with the incident. The incident comes amid heavy rain and strong water flow in the area, conditions that can make pools below waterfalls particularly hazardous for visitors.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 13, 2026 11:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).