Dharashiv: A 30-year-old woman and her three minor children fell from the Upli bastion of the historic Naldurg Fort in Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district on Thursday, leaving the mother and two of her children dead.
The deceased woman has been identified as Ashwini Manohar Pol. Her five-and-a-half-year-old son Ajinkya also died in the incident, while her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Kranti later succumbed to her injuries during treatment. Ashwini’s other daughter, twin sister Veera, was injured and was receiving medical treatment.
The incident has shocked the local community and raised concerns about safety arrangements at the historic tourist destination.
Four fall from Upli bastion
According to police, Ashwini had visited Naldurg Fort with her three children — Ajinkya and her two-and-a-half-year-old twin daughters, Veera and Kranti.
The four fell from the Upli bastion, identified by officials as the tallest point of the fort. Ashwini and Ajinkya died at the spot, while Veera and Kranti were seriously injured and taken to hospital.
Kranti later died while undergoing treatment at Dharashiv Civil Hospital.
The incident occurred on Thursday and came to light after people at the fort alerted the authorities. Police reached the location and initiated the necessary procedures.
An accidental death report has been registered at Naldurg police station, while an investigation is underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Police investigate the circumstances
Police officials are examining what led to the four falling from the bastion.
At present, authorities have not announced a definitive reason for the incident. Investigators are expected to examine the location, speak to people who may have witnessed the incident and gather other available information.
Officials have said the reason behind the incident will be investigated.
It is important that the circumstances are established through the police inquiry rather than speculation.
The deaths of Ashwini and two of her children have left the family facing an immense loss, while the condition and recovery of the surviving child remain a matter of concern.
Naldurg Fort spread across 105 acres
Naldurg Fort is one of the prominent historic monuments in Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district.
According to officials, the fort is spread across around 105 acres and has more than 100 bastions. The Upli bastion, from which the family fell, is nearly 80 feet high, making it one of the fort’s most elevated and potentially dangerous locations.
The fort attracts visitors interested in Maharashtra’s history and architecture. Its extensive walls, bastions and historic structures form an important part of the region’s heritage.
However, the height and age of some of its structures also make visitor safety an important consideration.
Questions over safety arrangements
The tragedy has brought renewed attention to safety arrangements at Naldurg Fort.
Historic monuments frequently contain high walls, steep edges, narrow passages and structures that were built centuries before modern visitor-safety standards were developed.
Such sites therefore require appropriate measures to protect tourists while preserving their historical character.
The incident has raised questions about whether adequate barriers, warning signs, restricted-access areas and security personnel are available at particularly dangerous sections of the fort.
The Upli bastion, being one of the highest points at the monument, may require special attention because visitors, including families with young children, can be exposed to a serious risk if they approach unprotected edges.
Woman had worked with Maharashtra Security Force
Police said Ashwini had previously worked with the Maharashtra Security Force, a government security agency.
She had reportedly resigned from the job around four to five months before the incident.
Ashwini was living with her parents in Vhantal village, according to police.
Details surrounding her family circumstances are being examined as part of the investigation. Authorities have not yet established the reason behind the incident.
The investigation is expected to provide clarity on what happened before the fall.
Three deaths leave family devastated
Ashwini and her son Ajinkya died at the scene.
Her daughter Kranti, who was seriously injured in the fall, later died while receiving treatment. Her twin sister Veera survived the initial incident and was taken to hospital for medical care.
The loss of a mother and two young children has left relatives and the wider community deeply distressed.
The children’s young ages have made the tragedy particularly heartbreaking.
Authorities are now completing the necessary procedures, while the surviving child continues to receive medical attention.
Need for greater care at heritage sites
The incident also highlights the need for authorities managing historical monuments to regularly assess visitor safety.
Heritage conservation and visitor access need to go together. While preserving original structures is important, tourists must also be protected from preventable risks.
Dangerous sections can be clearly marked, access can be restricted where necessary and additional personnel can be deployed during periods of heavy tourist movement.
Safety measures are particularly important for families visiting heritage locations with young children.
The Naldurg tragedy could therefore prompt renewed consideration of safety protocols at the fort.
Investigation continues
Police have registered an accidental death report at Naldurg police station and are continuing their investigation.
The authorities will determine the circumstances of the fall based on evidence and statements gathered during the inquiry.
The incident has raised difficult questions about what happened at one of Maharashtra’s historic landmarks and whether additional precautions are needed at elevated sections of the monument.
For now, the focus remains on the surviving child, the grieving family and the investigation into the deaths of Ashwini, Ajinkya and Kranti.
A tragedy at a historic landmark
The Naldurg Fort incident has turned a place associated with history and tourism into the scene of a devastating family tragedy.
A mother and her three young children fell from the Upli bastion, with three lives ultimately lost and one child injured.
As police work to establish the circumstances, the incident serves as a reminder that historic attractions must provide visitors with appropriate safety measures, particularly around elevated and hazardous structures.
The investigation will determine what happened on Thursday, while the tragedy has already prompted serious concern over the safety of tourists visiting Naldurg Fort.