Mumbai Janmashtami 2025: 32-Year-Old Govinda Dies During Dahi Handi Celebrations, BMC Confirms
Mumbai: Dahi Handi festivities in Mumbai took a tragic turn on Saturday after a 32-year-old Govinda lost his life during the celebrations, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed.
The deceased, identified as Jagmohan Shivkiran Chaudhari, a member of the Bal Govinda Pathak, reportedly fell while tying the Dahi Handi rope at Maharashtra Nagar in Mankhurd. He was rushed to Shatabdi Hospital in Govandi, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. The hospital reported the incident at around 3 pm, officials said.
Meanwhile, 30 participants had been injured across the city by Saturday afternoon while taking part in human pyramid formations, a hallmark of the Janmashtami tradition.
Breakup of Injuries Reported (till 3 pm):
- Cooper Hospital: 18 injured, with 12 still under treatment and 6 discharged.
- KEM Hospital: 6 injured, 3 under treatment and 3 discharged.
- Nair Hospital: 6 injured, 1 under treatment and 5 discharged.
Out of the total, 15 Govindas remain under medical care, while 15 have already been discharged.
Additionally, three minors were injured in Kalwa during Dahi Handi events and were admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital. The injured included:
- Aditya Raghunath Verma (18, Kalwa East) – head injury.
- Krishna Mithu Swayan (13, Mumbra) – right-hand injury.
- Unnamed 10-year-old boy (Atkoneshwar Nagar, Kalwa East) – head injury.
Officials confirmed that all were injured while participating in human pyramid activities.
BMC’s Free Treatment for Injured Govindas
To ensure timely medical care, the BMC has directed all municipal hospitals to provide free treatment to Govindas injured during the Janmashtami celebrations. BMC chief Bhushan Gagrani instructed hospitals to send injury reports every three hours to the Emergency Control Room, allowing real-time monitoring of the situation.
Medical teams were also deployed near major Dahi Handi venues in anticipation of injuries, which are common during the festival. While the spirit of the celebrations remained high across the city, authorities focused on preventing the festivities from turning costlier in terms of lives and safety.