Thane rain: Local heroes brave Ulhas river to rescue stranded shepherds

Thane locals Gurunath and Rohan Pawar rescued three stranded shepherds from an islet in the Ulhas river during heavy rainfall, earning praise for their bravery.

Thane: Two residents of Galegaon village rescued three shepherds who were stranded on an islet in the Ulhas river near Mohili, Kalyan, as water levels rose due to heavy rainfall on Monday.

Local heroes brave Ulhas river to rescue stranded shepherds

The sharp rise in water levels led to the formation of a temporary islet and the three shepherds, Deu Mangal Gaykar, 55, Shankar Ghatlya Patil 55, and Savalaram Gopya Waghe 60, who had gone to graze their cattle early in the morning, found themselves surrounded by water for nearly three hours. They managed to guide their cattle and goats to safety, but were unable to return due to the water current.

Local social worker Santosh Shigole called the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) fire brigade team, but the current made a rescue risky. “In such a heavy current, launching a boat would have endangered the lives of rescuers and victims. We were monitoring the situation for a safe opportunity,” said a KDMC fire brigade official at the scene.

While the fire brigade waited, two locals took the matter into their own hands. Gurunath Hanumant Pawar, 26, and his younger brother Rohan Gurunath Pawar, 24, coming from a traditional fishing background were familiar with the river, and took their boat to rescue the three shepherds.

“There was no way we could stand by and do nothing. Despite the risks, we decided to take the boat because we know this river and its flow well. Since childhood, we’ve seen it in all seasons, so we were confident,” said Gurunath.

Recognising their brave act, Sachin Shejal, Kalyan tahsildar, felicitated the local heroes with a shawl, coconut, and a cash reward in a small ceremony.