3 drown, 1 missing as canal floods in Pune district

The stream was in spate due to the continuous rains on Wednesday.

Four persons including a woman were washed away in gushing waters of a stream in Daund tehsil of Pune district on Wednesday. The stream was in spate due to continuing heavy rains.

Several areas in Pune city and the rest of the district was inundated due to flood-like situation created by the rains on Wednesday. (HT Photo/Pratham Gokhale)

Police officials, who recovered three bodies till Thursday morning, said, the victims riding two-wheelers were trying to cross a small bridge erected on a stream at Khanote village in Daund tehsil, when they were swept away in swollen waters. The search is on for the fourth person.

The three deceased fished out of the water were identified as Shahji Gangadhar Lokhande (52), and a couple --Appa Harichandra Dhaytonde (55) and Kalawati Appa Dhaydonte (48) -- according to senior police inspector Sunil Mahadik of Daund police station. Their bodies were later sent for a post-mortem.

One person who remained missing was identified as Subhash Narayan Londhe (48), said the police officer. Local people helped the police recover the bodies.

The four were on a bridge built over a stream on Rajegaon-Khatona road. Eyewitnesses said a sudden surge in the water swept the four away.

Daund along with adjoining Indapur and Baramati tehsils on the eastern parts of Pune district received heavy rains on Wednesday, resulting in flood like situation at many places. Due to torrential rain, most reservoirs in the region are full and authorities have started releasing water from dams.

While rain has relented in most parts of the district in the morning, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy showers till Friday.