Pune man dies in landslide at Sinhagad Fort marathon

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A 31-year-old trekker from Pune was killed in a landslide at Sinhagad Fort on Saturday morning while participating in a hill marathon event, the Pune rural police said. His body was recovered late on Saturday evening after a search at the end of the event when he did not make it to the finish line.
Pune rural police have identified the deceased as Hemang Gala (31), a resident of Bhandarkar Road in Pune. Gala, who was a businessman by profession, was an avid trekker and had participated in many treks and mountaineering activities in the Sahyadris and Himalayas, an official from Pune Rural police said. The event, Sinhagad Epic Trail, was organised by Pune-based organisation Western Ghats Running Foundation.
Around 300 people had participated in the event in the 10 km, 22 km, 32 km and 42 km categories. Gala had enrolled for the 22 kilometre race. Officials said the event which was flagged off around 6am.
IPS officer Tegbirsingh Sandhu, in-charge of Haveli Division of Pune Rural, said, “The hill marathon event was organised on Sinhagad Fort on Saturday…At the end of the event, a search was launched when he could not be located. He was located late in the night, trapped under the debris of a landslide that had taken place earlier in the day.”
Digvijay Jedhe, Founder President of the Western Ghats Running Foundation, said, “A landslide had occurred at a location on the marathon track sometime around 9.30 am. The planned trail was completely blocked so we re-routed the race through a different path which merged with the planned path at a latter point. At the end of the event, when it came to light that Gala was missing, a coordinated search was launched.”
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