Pune: NDA-Posted IAF Sergeant Drowns In Khadakwasla Canal; Woman Rescued During Search Operation

· Free Press Journal

Pune: A serving Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel attached to the National Defence Academy (NDA) lost his life after drowning in the Khadakwasla Canal near Pune during an outing with friends. In a separate incident during the search operation, rescue teams also saved the life of an unidentified woman who had been swept away by the strong water current.

The deceased has been identified as Sergeant Rajesh Kumar Verma (35), who was posted at the NDA. The incident took place on Sunday afternoon near Yashwant Vidyalaya, outside the NDA campus.

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According to defence officials, Verma and a group of friends were spending time near the canal when he accidentally slipped and fell into the water at around 12.30 pm. The strong current quickly swept him away. His friends immediately tried to rescue him but were unsuccessful due to the fast-flowing water and dangerous conditions.

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Following the incident, the NDA launched a large-scale search and rescue operation. Teams from military units in Pune, including the College of Military Engineering (CME) and the Indian Air Force, joined the effort along with local police, PMRDA divers and ambulance services.

The search continued through the night and into the next day. After several hours of intensive efforts, Verma's body was recovered at around 2.40 pm on Monday, nearly 1.5 kilometres downstream from the spot where he had fallen into the canal.

Meanwhile, during the ongoing search operation on Monday morning, rescue personnel noticed a woman being carried away by the canal's strong current upstream. She was pulled out of the water at around 10.30 am in an unconscious state.

Rescuers immediately provided first aid before shifting her to Sassoon General Hospital for treatment. Officials said timely medical intervention helped revive her, and her condition is now stable. Her identity has not yet been established, and efforts are underway to trace her family.

The tragic death of the air warrior and the dramatic rescue of the woman occurred within hours of each other, highlighting the dangers posed by the strong currents in the Khadakwasla Canal.

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