Terrifying Bee Attack During Trek in Pune’s Madheghat Leaves 50 Students Injured, Two Critical
Terrifying Bee Attack During Trek in Pune’s Madheghat Leaves 50 Students Injured, Two Critical
Panic in Sahyadri hills as students aged 14–17 are swarmed by thousands of bees; villagers risk lives to rescue stranded trekkers
A trekking expedition in the Sahyadri ranges near Pune turned into a terrifying ordeal after around 50 students were attacked by a swarm of honey bees in the Madheghat area of Rajgad taluka. The incident occurred while the students were descending through a dense forest stretch, triggering panic, injuries and a large-scale rescue operation involving local villagers.
The trek was organised by a private adventure tourism group based in Pune and included school and college students aged between 14 and 17. The planned route was from Madheghat to Upanda. According to preliminary information, the group was moving through a forested section of the ghat when a large number of bees nesting on trees were disturbed. Within moments, thousands of bees swarmed the students.
Caught off guard, the students began running in different directions to escape the attack. The steep terrain and slippery paths added to the danger, causing several students to fall while trying to flee. Eyewitnesses said screams echoed through the valley as the situation spiralled out of control.
The seriousness of the incident was quickly realised, and the trek leader contacted owner of Toran Machi Hotel, seeking urgent help. Bheke immediately shared the information on local social media groups, following which former Kelad village sarpanch Ramesh Shinde and several local youths rushed towards the site without delay.
Risking their own safety, villagers navigated the cliffs and dense bushes to locate and rescue the students who were trapped or injured. Before emergency services could reach the remote location, locals used private vehicles to transport the injured to the rural hospital in Velhe.
Medical teams at the Velhe Rural Hospital, led by Dr Dnyaneshwar Hiras, began treatment on a war footing. Several students showed symptoms such as severe swelling of the face, lips and eyes, nausea, continuous vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure and intense pain at the sting sites.
Taluka Medical Officer confirmed that two students whose condition deteriorated were shifted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Pune. The remaining students are reported to be stable and are under medical observation.
Local residents said eight to ten students sustained serious injuries, while around 25 others suffered multiple bee stings of varying severity. The incident has raised concerns over safety protocols followed during adventure treks, especially those involving minors in forested and wildlife-prone areas.
Authorities are expected to review the circumstances under which the trek was conducted and examine whether adequate precautions and permissions were in place before allowing such a large group into a sensitive forest zone.
