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Raigad Tourist Incident: A 22-year-old Thane tourist went to film a waterfall reel in Raigad; he slipped into a gorge and never returned home

Sandy Verma | August 5, 2026 10:25 AM CST

Raigad in Maharashtra is among the fav monsoon getaways for many. The place is known for its monsoon waterfalls and scenic hikes. But one wrong step turned into a tragedy for a young tourist from Thane. As per local and police reports, 22-year-old Abhishek Hariram Kushwaha, lost his life while reportedly filming a social media reel near KP Waterfall in Khopoli, Raigad district. The tragic incident has once again highlighted the growing dangers of risky photography and social media’s reel trend at scenic spots during monsoons. The terrain remains slippery during this time and visibility is extremely poor. One mistake can quickly turn a fun outing into a fatal accident.The incidentAccording to reports, Abhishek was a resident of Thane and a dog trainer by profession.

On Sunday, he, along with his three friends, travelled to KP Waterfall in Khalapur taluka. It is a famous monsoon trekking destination located above Zenith Waterfall. Reportedly, the group was enjoying the place and seasonal waterfalls. In the evening, the group was trekking along the forest trail between Zenith Waterfall and KP Waterfall, where Kushwaha allegedly while shooting a reel, lost his control on the slippery trail and fell into a deep gorge.His friends immediately got into action and started searching for him. After hours, they were unable to trace his location because of the darkness and difficult terrain. Without proper rescue equipment or torches, they eventually reached a nearby village late at night to seek help from locals and the police.Rescue operationSoon a rescue operation was launched.

The group involved Khopoli Police, volunteers from the HELP Foundation, and some local villagers. They kept searching the whole night despite heavy rain and poor visibility. Abhishek’s body was recovered from the gorge in the early hours of Monday morning.The dangers involving monsoon treks around waterfallsThe tragedy has sparked new discussions about tourist safety at Maharashtra’s waterfalls during the monsoon season. Not many must be aware that Khopoli is also known as the “City of Waterfalls.” Tourists from all over travel here during the monsoon to witness the natural beauty between June and September.The surrounding Sahyadri hills transform into a green paradise, drawing trekkers, photographers and content creators. But this also makes the terrain dangerously slippery.Not the first incident

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This is not the first time that such an incident at KP Waterfall has occurred. Only a few weeks earlier, an 18-year-old trekker from Mumbai slipped while attempting to take a selfie near the same waterfall. He was rescued after a challenging three-hour operation by volunteers and police.The accident also echoes several monsoon- tragedies witnessed across Maharashtra in recent years. Experts and rescue teams have repeatedly warned that visitors often underestimate the dangers posed by wet rocks and overflowing streams. Another reality is several of these fatal accidents occur when tourists ignore safety and attempt selfies or social media videos.As monsoon tourism reaches its peak, authorities continue to urge travellers to remember a simple but crucial message: no photograph, selfie or viral reel is worth risking a life because nature is unpredictable and needs to be respected.