4 drownings in four days; swimming in Radhanagari, Kalammawadi dam prohibited

Kolhapur: Two people died in separate drowning incidents on Sunday, one in Kolhapur and another in Satara. In the past four days, four people have lost their lives due to drowning in Kolhapur and Satara districts. Taking note of the rising drowning cases, the Radhanagari tehsil administration issued orders prohibiting swimming in the Dudhganga, Bhogavati river and in the backwaters of Kalammawadi dam. Strict action will be taken against people found violating the norms.In Kolhapur district, Santosh Chougule (27), a tractor driver and resident of Khandal village in Gadhinglaj tehsil, drowned in the Hiranyakeshi river on Sunday, according to information received from the Gadhinglaj police. He had gone for a swim, misjudged the depth and drowned. Onlookers pulled him out, but he was unconscious. He was taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead. The incident was registered with the Gadhinglaj police station based on his brother's complaint.In Satara, a 24-year-old tourist, Sanket Jadhav, of Ahilyanagar, drowned in the Koyna backwater in Mahabaleshwar at 7.30am on Sunday. Inspector Bapusaheb Sandbhor said, "Sanket Jadhav had come to Mahabaleshwar with his friend Shyam Chandrawat. On Sunday morning, both these friends entered the Koyna backwaters for a swim at Solshi. After swimming for about 50 to 60 feet, Sanket got exhausted and started drowning. With the help of locals, he was pulled out, and an attempt was made to give CPR. However, there was no movement in his body. An ambulance was immediately called, and he was taken to the Rural Hospital in Mahabaleshwar. The medical officers there declared him dead before treatment."Earlier on Friday, two drowning deaths took place in Kolhapur district, one in the Dudhganga river at Kalammawadi in Radhanagari tehsil and the other in the Warna river in Panhala tehsil.