By Ria Jain
Sunday, September 21st, 2025, was a day that stood witness to what could have been a deadly accident when about 30 people found themselves stranded in the Muthra River near the Khadakwasla dam wall in Pune, Maharashtra. This happened due to the release of water from the dam’s reservoir. Fortunately, though, the fire brigade and Nanded City police arrived in time and were able to rescue the victims.
Before the water was released, the group of men and women had reached the center of the river to wash their garments and bedsheets. This is a common practice for residents of Khadakwasla, Nahre, Dhayari, Shivane, Uttamnagar, and other nearby areas. These residents visit the river before Navaratri celebrations every year to mark the end of Pitru Paksh. Further in this tradition, they also dry the washed clothes under direct sunlight.
The incident is reported to have occurred at around 2 pm, in an area near the Khadakwasla Dam on the Mutha River and the bridge nearest to it. Senior Inspector Atul Bhose of Nanded City Police said that there was water in the riverbed when the people entered, but when the authorities released some water, it covered certain sections of the river, thus restricting their ability to move towards the road connecting Khadakwasla and Uttamnagar. He also mentioned that although the water level was stable, it was the current that prevented these people from moving.
Further, the irrigation officer stated that they had already informed the citizens about the scheduled water discharge in the afternoon, and the police had also advised the villagers not to visit the riverbed, yet they gathered to wash clothes in large numbers. Even in the afternoon, the irrigation departments sounded an alarm before releasing the water. Fortunately for those stranded on a rock in the river, the locals alerted the fire brigade, and by the time it arrived, they, along with the police, were able to rescue about 20. The remaining were rescued by the fire brigade.