Mumbai: Diwali trip ends in drowning disaster for Manor family

Grandmother, 9-year-old drown in pond near village; passer-by helps save other 17-year-old granddaughter who had jumped in to save the two

A Diwali trip ended in deep sorrow for a family in Manor, which lost two of its members in a drowning accident.

The incident occurred on Monday when the family's grandmother, Sadhna Patel, 50, jumped into a pond where she was washing clothes to save her grandchild Shradha Kini, 9, who was drowning. However, none of them made it out alive, except for Sadhna's other grandchild Shubhangi Narale, 17, who had dived in to save the two.

Sadhna's granddaughter Shradha ventured deep into the pond water and began drowning, after which Sadhna went in to save her

Near the pond
According to police sources, Shradha, her two-year-old brother, and mother Mamta had gone to her grandmother's village of Lalonde Farle Pada in Manor to celebrate Diwali. Sadhna, Mamta, Shradha, Shubhangi (the child of Sadhna's other daughter, and the toddler had gone to a pond near the village to wash clothes.

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But Sadhna began drowning too. Seeing her and Shradha struggling, her other granddaughter Shubhangi jumped in to help

"While they were busy washing their clothes, suddenly Shradha went deeper inside the pond and began to drown. Sadhna jumped into the pond to save her and both of them started drowning. Seeing this, Shubhangi also dived in to save them," said a police official from Manor police station.

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But Shubhangi met with a similar fate. Her mother Mamta spotted the three and screamed for help from passers-by

Screamed for help
"Meanwhile, Mamta ran to help and was planning to go into the water herself. But she didn't go ahead with the plan since her toddler son began following her. She then stopped and shouted for help," the official added. Two passers-by heard Mamta screaming and rushed towards her. One of them jumped into the pond and managed to save Shubhangi, but could not save Sadhna and Shradha.

A passer-by dived into the pond and pulled Shubhangi out alive, but Sadhna and Shradha couldn't be saved. Illustration/Ravi Jadhav

The incident was reported to the police, who reached the spot along with the fire brigade. Sadhna and Shradha were taken out of the water and rushed to the local government hospital, where doctors declared both of them dead before arrival. Shubhangi's condition is said to be critical. "An accidental death case has been registered. The bodies were sent for autopsy and further investigation is on," the official added.

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The pond in Manor, where the incident occurred. Pic/Hanif patel

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