Two young siblings found dead in Junnar

Two young siblings, Afan (10) and Rifat Inamdar (7), were found dead in a farm pond in Junnar, Pune, after going missing while playing.

A tragic incident shook Junnar in Pune district after two young siblings who went missing on Saturday afternoon were found dead in a farm pond later that night.

Sub-divisional police officer Dhananjay Patil said that during the search, police found a pair of children’s footwear near the edge of a farm pond. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

The victims, Afan Inamdar (10) and Rifat Inamdar (7), were residents of Islampur in Junnar.

Police said the children had gone out to play around 4 pm and failed to return home. The family registered a missing complaint at the Junnar police station on Saturday. Because there had been recent leopard sightings in the area, the Forest Department also joined the search operation. Police teams and villagers searched the surroundings with the help of drones.

Sub-divisional police officer Dhananjay Patil said that during the search, police found a pair of children’s footwear near the edge of a farm pond. Around 9.30 pm, the search team located the siblings’ bodies floating in the water. They were immediately taken to Junnar Rural Hospital, where doctors confirmed they had died several hours earlier due to drowning.

The news spread quickly, plunging the community into grief. The children’s father had reportedly gone to Dubai for work five months ago, and the siblings were being cared for by their mother and grandmother.

Police have ruled out foul play. Preliminary findings suggest the children accidentally slipped into the pond while playing.