Father's Day outing turns tragic as man his son killed in Pune bridge collapse

Pune, Jun 16 (PTI) What began as a joyous Father's Day picnic turned into a heart-breaking tragedy for a family as 32-year-old Rohit Mane and his six-year-old son Vihan died along with two others when an aging iron bridge over the Indrayani river collapsed in Pune district.
Besides the father-son duo and two more who lost their lives, 18 others, including Rohit Mane's wife Shamika, suffered serious injuries in the incident that occurred in the Kundmala area of Maval tehsil at around 3.30 pm on Sunday.
More than 100 people were on the bridge, a popular spot for tourists and picnickers, when it collapsed. Kundmala had received heavy rains in the last few days, giving the river a steady flow, officials said.
According to relatives, the Mane family had recently purchased a new flat and held a housewarming ceremony just a month ago.
Speaking to PTI, a relative said Shamika Mane is undergoing surgery as both her legs were severely injured after she fell into the river when the bridge gave way.
"It was a happy Sunday for Rohit, Vihan, and Shamika as it was Father's Day. They had even posted a status on social media to mark the day. Since it was a holiday, they went for a picnic to Kundmala," the relative said, adding the entire family is devastated and in a state of shock.
She added that at around 4.30 pm, they received the news about the tragedy.
"We rushed to the spot and learned that Shamika had been admitted to hospital, while Rohit and Vihan were missing. Later in the evening, we were told that two bodies had been recovered, and when we went for identification, it turned out to be them," she said.
Rohit Mane hailed from Kolhapur and worked in a software firm in Pune. His son Vihan had recently been admitted to Class 1 in a reputed school.
"The family of three was very happy after moving into their new flat. Vihan was excited about his new school, his school bag, and uniform. Now, everything has been ruined," the relative added.
Authorities said the iron structure collapsed due to overcrowding by tourists who ignored warning signs posted at the spot.
According to the district administration, 51 people were rescued. Eighteen of them sustained serious injuries and were admitted to three different hospitals.
Shamika Mane is currently undergoing surgery at Pavana Hospital, relatives said.
For the Sathale family too, the Sunday outing ended in a tragedy. One of the family members, Chandrakant Sathale (57), lost his life in the bridge collapse.
Sandesh Ghavali, Chandrakant Sathale's brother-in-law, told PTI that the family of four, including Sathale's wife, son, and daughter, had travelled to Kundmala on two motorcycles.
"When the bridge collapsed, Chandrakant Sathale was in the middle of the structure, while his wife and children were at a corner of the bridge," Ghavali said.
Chandrakant Sathale sustained fatal head injuries after being struck by a piece of the iron structure. He was employed in a private firm, while his son had recently started working, and his daughter is still studying, he said.
The fourth deceased, Chetan Chaware (23), originally a resident of Belagavi in adjoining Karnataka who was working Pune, was visiting Kundmala with four friends.
His body was the last to be recovered as it was trapped under the iron debris.
"Chaware used to work in a small firm in Chakan (Pune). All five of us had come to enjoy the holiday. We were on the bridge when a few motorcycles came onto it, leading to overcrowding. Suddenly, the bridge collapsed, and we all fell into the river. The rest of us managed to swim out, but Chaware got stuck underneath," said one of his friends.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)