Mumbai: Trekker saved at Chanderi Fort after 12-hour rescue

Keeping his wits about him even when he didnrsquot know what had happened to his friend saved the life of a trekker who got stuck on a small ledge at Panvelrsquos Chanderi Fort for hours on Sunday Sagar Bhilare was saved while Vaibhav Kawade who apparently fell while climbing was declared dead at a hospitalThe rescue team with Sagar Bhilare between the two policemenSagar and Vaibhav both 24 years old had been trekking for the past five years Sagar works with a pharma company while Vaibhav was looking for a job On Sunday Sagar a resident of Mulund picked up Vaibhav from his Airoli house and went to Chanderi Fort The Fort which is 2500 feet above sea level is an attraction for trekking enthusiastsldquoThey reached Tawarwadi on Sunday around 8 am and started the trek After climbing upto 600 feet on the cliff Sagar realised he had lost sight of Vaibhav He tried calling him but did not get a rangerdquo said an officer from Panvel Taluka Police station At noon Sagar realised he was stuck He couldnrsquot climb or descend the cliff and frantically started calling Vaibhav again When his phone wasnot reachable for a couple of hours Sagar started making calls and messages for helpHe finally managed to connect to his elder sister who immediately contacted the Navi Mumbai Police Control Room ldquoWe received information around 12 and informed Nisarg Mitra a group of trekkers which also does rescue operationsrdquo said Ravindra Daundkar senior inspector of Panvel Taluka police stationldquoAfter walking for 3 hours we reached the base of the cliff and tried calling Sagar and got throughrdquo said Parag Sarode rescuer of Nisarg Mitra ldquoAfter climbing for another 3 hours we found him We wondered how he had managed to climb up the cliff which has a 60 degrees to 70 degrees elevation without ropes etc It was suicidal We brought him down by 12 amrdquo added SarodeSome villagers spotted a body 500 feet below Vaibhav was rushed to the subdistrict hospital where he was declared dead on arrival ldquoIt was a sensible decision by Sagar to wait and not to act in frustration otherwise he could have been in a difficult situation too He had run out of water and food and most stranded trekkers start reacting when they run out of theserdquo said Sarode A case of Accidental Death has been reported in Panvel Taluka police station ldquoWe advise trekkers to at least have some basic information of the place where they are going If possible talk to someone who has gone there before or to local villagers Such treks can be extremely dangerous and lifethreateningrdquo added Senior Inspector Daundkar