Thaindian News

Ratnagiri (Maharashtra), July 29 (IANS) Tragedy struck three lawyers, including two women, who were on a picnic, as they slipped in a waterfall here and drowned Sunday morning, a police official said.

The incident took place at the Nivali waterfall, around 50 km from Ratnagiri, which has been experiencing heavy rains in the past few weeks, said police officer Roshan Surve of the Ratnagiri rural police.

“They had gone for a picnic along with their colleagues and were enjoying in the waterfall. According to eyewitnesses, they suddenly slipped and were washed away in the powerful swirling waters nearly a hundred feet below,” Surve told IANS.

Their bodies were fished out by rescue teams from the village and the local police around noon, he added.

They have been identified as Prasad Mahajani, 41, Aparna Kulkarni, 32 and Anuja Sheth, 30.

All three were lawyers practicing in the Ratnagiri district court, and were part of a group of seven lawyers, Surve said.

The Nivali village waterfall is a popular picnic destination frequented by locals and tourists alike as it is located close to the Mumbai-Goa national highway, around 375 km south of Mumbai.