A 50-year-old devotee died after falling into a deep valley during the Astamba Yatra in Nandurbar district, with his body recovered after a five-day search in the difficult Satpura terrain, according to a report by Loksatta – Nashik.
The deceased was identified as Jerma Valvi, a resident of Mundalwad village in Akrani taluka. He had travelled to the Astamba Rishi shrine on November 7 for the annual pilgrimage in Dhadgaon taluka. Valvi reportedly left his son at the foothills before proceeding towards the peak for darshan.
When he did not return for a long time, his son and other family members became concerned. Two days later, his wife, Kagdibai Valvi, filed a missing-person complaint at Dhadgaon police station. Following the complaint, police began a search operation with the assistance of local volunteers.
The Astamba Rishi shrine is located at a peak described in the report as approximately 4,000 feet high. The surrounding area includes steep cliffs, dense forest and deep valleys, making access and search operations difficult. Police personnel and local volunteers continued the search despite the challenging terrain.
Valvi’s body was eventually found in a deep valley. Police completed the required legal procedures at the site before handing over the body to his relatives, the report said. The circumstances described in the report indicate that he fell from the mountainous area while travelling towards the shrine, although no further details about the exact location or conditions leading to the fall were provided.
The incident took place during a pilgrimage that attracts devotees from across Nandurbar district as well as the wider Khandesh region, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The report said tribal devotees form a significant part of the pilgrim group. This year, attendance appeared higher than usual, with long queues reported for entry into the main sanctum.
The pilgrimage begins around Dhanteras during Diwali and involves devotees travelling through remote hill ranges to reach the shrine. The combination of large crowds and difficult terrain has brought renewed attention to safety conditions along the route following Valvi’s death.
The report does not provide details of crowd-control arrangements, marked walking paths, protective barriers, emergency medical facilities or formal rescue infrastructure at the site. It also does not state whether any administrative review or additional safety measures have been announced after the incident.
The death has left Valvi’s family and the Mundalwad community in mourning. The next steps recorded in the report are the completion of police formalities and the return of the body to the family.
