E-Paper
Falling rock hits woman trekker on Rajgad Fort, causes head injury
A group of 20 women from Mumbai had arrived at the fort earlier in the day. While they were climbing down near the Balekilla trail, monkeys playing on the upper section dislodged a stone, which rolled down and struck Hundari
A 38-year-old woman sustained a head injury on Sunday after a loose stone - dislodged during a scuffle between monkeys - fell on her while she was descending Rajgad Fort in Pune district. The incident, reported around 4pm, triggered panic among a group of trekkers visiting from Mumbai.
A group of 20 women from Mumbai had arrived at the fort earlier in the day. While they were climbing down near the Balekilla trail, monkeys playing on the upper section dislodged a stone, which rolled down and struck Varsha Hundari (38) on the head.
Fort guards Vishal Pilavre and Bapu Sable rushed to the spot after being alerted. Local youth Dadu Wegre and a few others also joined in and helped bring the injured woman down the fort on a stretcher in about 30 minutes.
Once at the base, Somesh Raut, a police havaldar from Rajgad police station, contacted the 108 emergency ambulance service. As an ambulance was not immediately available, he arranged an alternative vehicle and ensured she was taken to the rural hospital in Velhe for treatment.
Pilavre said he was at Padmavati Machi when he learnt about the incident from other tourists. “We immediately rushed to the spot. With the help of a stretcher, we brought her down and, with police assistance, sent her to the rural hospital. An hour later, police informed us that she was stable,” he said.
The incident has renewed concerns about safety on heavily frequented trekking routes, particularly during weekends when crowding and wildlife activity increase the risk of accidents.
