A major rescue operation was carried out on Sunday (April 27) after a father and son got trapped while trekking at the Trirashmi Caves (Pandavleni) mountain, one of Nashik's popular tourist spots.
Advocate Umesh Valzade had gone trekking with his son, taking advantage of the Sunday holiday. After climbing up to the caves, they attempted to scale the mountain further. However, while descending from the south side towards the Nehru Forest area, they lost their way in the dense grass and became stranded. Feeling unsafe to continue, they contacted the Nashik Municipal Corporation's Disaster Management Center and the Police Control Room for help.
On receiving the call, teams from Indiranagar Police Station, CIDCO Fire Sub-Center, and the Nashik Rescuers Climbers Association (NRCA) rushed to the site. The Vainatey Mountaineering Society team was also on standby with rescue equipment. After two hours of tireless efforts, the rescue team successfully brought down the father and son safely around 12:30 p.m.
Officials reminded that while tourists are allowed to visit the Trirashmi Caves and the adjoining Nehru Forest Park, climbing the mountain is strictly prohibited. The area is part of a reserved forest, and unauthorized entry is considered a forest crime. Forest Range Officer Mayur Dhote stated that a month ago, a fire caused by tourists entering without permission had severely damaged the area. The Forest Development Corporation will take strict action under the Forest Act against those found illegally climbing the mountain.
This is not the first such incident. Just last week, two college students were trapped on the Chamar Leni mountain under Mhasrul Police Station limits during a trek. They were rescued safely by the Panchavati Fire Brigade and Vainatey Mountaineering Association team.Experts, including Prashant Pardeshi from the Vainatey Mountaineering Association, have advised that amateur trekkers should avoid climbing forts and mountains without proper guidance and precautions.