Three men swept away in a creek during Ganpati idol immersion in Maharashtra`s Palghar district were rescued with the help of a Ro-Ro boat, following a swift alert from maritime authorities, officials said on Sunday.
The incident occurred around 3 pm on Saturday at Narangi Jetty in Virar (West).
The three were participating in the Ganpati idol immersion when one of them slipped into the creek. In an attempt to save their friend, the other two immediately jumped into the water, said Vivekanand Kadam, chief of the district disaster management cell.
However, due to the low tide and the strong seawater current, the three men got pulled further away from the jetty and they started to drift, according to the news agency PTI.
Upon receiving an alert about the incident, Maharashtra Maritime Board Port inspector Navneet Nijai immediately contacted Aadesh Naik, an employee on a nearby Ro-Ro (roll on-roll off) boat service, and relayed the urgent situation.
The boat was quickly dispatched to the location, reaching the three struggling men in a short time, Kadam said.
The three individuals were later safely pulled out of the waters through a coordinated effort by various agencies and brought back to the jetty, the official said.
Lalbaugcha Raja visarjan stalled at Chowpatty as high tide hits; immersion process crosses 24 hours
The immersion of Lalbaugcha Raja faced an unexpected halt due to high tide, leaving the idol unimmersed even after 24 hours. The murti, which left the pandal on Saturday afternoon, reached the immersion site at Chowpatty around 8 a.m. on Sunday. However, rough sea conditions made it difficult to move the massive idol smoothly into the waters.
For more than six hours, authorities, volunteers, and devotees worked tirelessly to manage the situation and carefully position the idol. Despite their efforts, Lalbaugcha Raja remained partially submerged, creating tense moments for the thousands of devotees gathered to bid an emotional farewell. Officials reassured the crowd that the visarjan would resume once the tide receded, stressing that the safety of both the idol and the devotees remained the top priority.
Among those present was Anant Ambani, Executive Director of Reliance Industries Limited, who joined the sea of devotees in the festive farewell. The immersion of Lalbaugcha Raja is among Mumbai’s most awaited religious events, drawing lakhs each year who come not only to witness the spectacular procession but also to seek the blessings of Lord Ganesh.
(With PTI inputs)
