Pune Khadakwasla Canal Drowning Iaf Sergeant Rajesh Verma Woman Rescued

A SERVING Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel posted with the National Defence Academy (NDA) drowned in the Khadakwasla dam canal when he had gone there for an outing on Sunday. Officials said that when the multi-agency search operation for him was underway, a wo... Officials said that when the multi-agency search operation for him was underway, a woman who was drowning was rescued, officials said. The deceased has been identified as Sergent Rajesh Kumar Verma (35), an IAF personnel currently posted with the NDA. The incident took place on Sunday afternoon when the deceased had come to the Khadakwasla dam canal for an outing, at a location near Yashwant Vidyalaya. A press statement issued through Pune Defence Public Relations Officer read, “An incident of drowning of an air warrior of NDA occurred at Khadakwasla canal at around 12.30 pm on Sunday. At about 11.30 am Sargent Rajesh Kumar Verma and some friends were on a picnic trip on the banks of the Khadakwasla canal outside the NDA Campus. Sergent Verma accidentally slipped and fell into the canal and was swept away by the strong current.” The statement added, “Efforts by his colleagues to rescue failed due to the strong currents and fast flowing water. Rescue efforts were immediately launched by NDA with support of military units of Pune, civil police, divers from PMRDA and ambulances. Search for the missing person continued throughout and the body was recovered on Monday at 2.40 pm 1.5 kilometers downstream by search party.” The statement further read, “On Monday while the search operations were underway, the team at approximately 10.30 am rescued a civilian woman who had drowned upstream and was being taken by the strong currents. The woman was found in an unconscious state and due to the immediate medical aid and her admission to civil hospital she has been revived and her condition is reported to be stable at Sassoon Hospital. Her identity is yet to be ascertained.”