Travel influencer Aanvi Kamdar dies in Kumbhe waterfall accident
Raigad: Aanvi Kamdar, a 26-year-old Instagram influencer from Mumbai known for her love of monsoon tourism, tragically lost her life after falling into a gorge at Kumbhe waterfall in Raigad, Maharashtra.
Aanvi was on a trip with seven friends when the incident occurred around 10:30 AM on July 16. While shooting a video near the waterfall, she slipped and fell approximately 300 feet into a deep crevice.
Local authorities responded immediately to the emergency, mobilizing a rescue team that included assistance from the Coast Guard, Kolad rescue team, and Maharashtra State Electricity Board staff.
"After reaching the spot, we found the girl had fallen nearly 300-350 feet. Due to heavy rain and her injuries, it was challenging to extricate her directly. Therefore, we used a vertical pulley system for the rescue," recounted one of the rescuers to NDTV.
Following a six-hour operation, Aanvi was successfully retrieved from the gorge but succumbed to her injuries shortly after being admitted to Managaon sub-district hospital.
In the aftermath, local authorities, including the Tehsildar and Managaon police inspector, issued an appeal to tourists and citizens alike. They urged everyone to enjoy tourism responsibly and prioritise safety while exploring the scenic beauty of the Sahyadri ranges.
Aanvi, an avid traveller and social media influencer known for her passion for monsoon tourism died in an attempt to capture the beauty of Kumbhe waterfall.
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41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
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He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
