Pune: Tourist rescued after 150-ft fall at Sinhagad Fort while clicking photos

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like A 35-year-old tourist from Shirur was rescued after he fell nearly 150 feet into a gorge at Sinhagad Fort in Maharashtra’s Pune on Wednesday evening while trying to click sunset photographs, police said. According to the police officers, Yogesh Mohan Shitole was visiting the popular hill fort in the eveningAccording to police officers, Yogesh Mohan Shitole was visiting the popular hill fort in the evening. Around 4:30 pm to 5 pm, he moved towards the western edge of the fort, near a spot locally known as “Hawa Point,” to capture sunset views. Police officers added that while navigating the grassy terrain near the cliff, Shitole reportedly lost his footing and slipped, plunging into a deep gorge. Shitole reportedly fell about 150–170 feet and lost consciousness. He regained awareness around 7–7:30 pm and immediately called the 112 emergency helpline, informing authorities of his fall and location. A team from the Haveli Police Station, led by officer Aniket Kale, alerted the disaster management rescue team. A joint rescue operation was launched. After a challenging operation in low-light conditions, they successfully brought Shitole back to safety. “The night-time rescue was challenging due to visibility issues, but our team responded promptly and the operation was conducted successfully,” Tanaji Bhosale, a member of the Haveli Disaster Management team who was part of the rescue operation, said. Shitole was later shifted to a private hospital for medical treatment. Bhosale urged visitors to exercise caution while exploring cliff edges and to avoid risky spots, especially during the monsoon and evening hours when visibility and ground stability can be compromised.