Desk Correspondent , Pune – A 35-year-old tourist was miraculously rescued on Wednesday night after surviving a 150-foot fall into a deep gorge at the historic Sinhagad Fort. The incident occurred while the man was attempting to capture photographs of the sunset, local police officials confirmed. The victim, identified as Yogesh Mohan Shitole, a resident of Shirur, was visiting the popular hilltop destination on Wednesday evening. Around 4:30 PM, Shitole ventured toward the western edge of the fort, a location popularly known as "Hawa Point," to click scenic pictures. While navigating the slippery, grassy terrain near the cliff's edge, he reportedly lost his footing and plunged into the abyss.

The fall left Shitole unconscious for nearly three hours. Upon regaining consciousness around 7:30 PM, he displayed remarkable presence of mind by using his mobile phone to contact the 112 emergency helpline. He was able to provide his approximate location to the authorities despite the darkness and his injuries. A coordinated rescue operation was immediately launched by the Haveli Police Station, led by officer Aniket Kale, in conjunction with the Haveli Disaster Management team. Rescuers battled low visibility and treacherous terrain to reach the victim.

After a grueling several-hour operation, Shitole was successfully pulled from the gorge and rushed to a private hospital for medical treatment. Tanaji Bhosale, a member of the rescue team, noted that night operations at the fort are exceptionally challenging. Authorities have since issued an advisory urging tourists to avoid cliff edges and exercise extreme caution during evening hours and the monsoon season, when ground stability is compromised.