Kandivli resident swept away at Chinchoti waterfall

MUMBAI: A 34-year-old Kandivli resident, Bhavesh Gupta, on an outing with office friends was swept away by strong currents at Chinchoti waterfall in the Tungareshwar hill range on Saturday evening following heavy rains. At least 26 others stranded on trees and rocks were rescued from the waterfall in Vasai, besides over 100 people who were climbing down the mountain and got caught in the overflowing streams.
The waterfall at the hilltop is accessible by narrow and uneven routes that pass through other streams and rocks.

250 picnickers were at Chinchoti waterfall for weekend outing
The Valiv police received an alert around 2.30pm about people being stranded in the waterfall and along the route. While more than 250 picnickers, most of them from Mumbai and Thane, were at the waterfall, a good number of them had started the place leaving by afternoon as it begin pouring.
The victim, Bhavesh Gupta, and 26 others, most of them from Borivli, Malad, Santacruz and Vasai, were on some rocks under the waterfall, when they realised it was too late to leave the place, said Shirish Desai, one of the picnickers. While seven of them were stuck on nearby trees, 15 were caught right under the waterfall and another five were on the other side of the waterfall.
The group was surrounded by rising water and were being carried away by the current. Amidst screams for help, they managed to cling onto tree branches and rocks. Gupta who was holding on to a rock slipped and fell into the waters. He was carried away by the strong current, said Aatish Madhvi, who was at the spot. After getting an alert, the IAF pressed a helicopter into service and managed to rescue five of those who were stranded in the waterfall. They were clinging onto rocks and water was flowing over their heads, said an official. Two NDRF teams too were pressed into service. The teams, accompanied by two horses with food and first aid,walked up to the spot for about two hours.
The Vasai Virar fire brigade, the revenue department and policemen also joined in the rescue operation. Those rescued included Pranay Bane, Ajay Kambate, Gaurav Surve, Mohit Soni and Nitesh Soni.
Sachin Pathak from Santacruz who was rescued said that it was a life and death situation. “We could do nothing due to the the force of water. I held on to a tree and waited for help.” Navjot Singh from Vasai who too was rescued said that the episode was a nightmare and he could not believe he was alive. He said that he witnessed nature’s fury.
All those rescued were in a state of shock. The rescued picnickers returned to their homes after some of them were given first aid on the spot.