Pune: A 43-year-old engineer from Sangamwadi was saved by Yerawada Police after an intense eight-hour search operation that began with a distressing report from his wife about his disappearance on Tuesday (December 24) afternoon.

The engineer, struggling with financial distress due to a fraudulent investment scheme, had left his home after writing a suicide note. In the note, he accused one Abhishek Birajdar of defrauding him of ₹35 lakh in an investment deal. Despite his shy nature, he had collected money from others to invest, only to be deceived. Unable to repay the investors, he succumbed to severe mental pressure.

Yerawada Police began their search operation at 3:30 PM. The man’s mobile phone was initially switched off, but the last known location indicated he was near Holkar Bridge at 6:45 PM. Despite thorough searches, the police could not locate him, leading to fears that he might have taken his own life.

However, the police remained persistent. At 12:22 AM, the engineer’s phone was switched on, allowing the technical team to track his location to an open field near Khadki Church. A police team immediately rushed to the spot and found him sitting in a dazed state in the dark.

Assistant Police Inspector Mahesh Lamkhade, along with his team comprising Sub-Inspector Shinde, Constable Amol Gaikwad, and Technical Officer Kiran Ghute, played a key role in the rescue. Under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Ravindra Shelke, the team counseled the engineer and convinced him to abandon his suicidal thoughts. He was then handed over to his wife.

API Lamkhade stated, “The engineer was under immense mental pressure due to his inability to return people’s money. We counseled him and worked to remove the suicidal thoughts from his mind.”