A woman and an eight-year-old girl died after receiving an electric shock at a Ganesh pandal in Mumbai’s Kalachowki early on Sunday, September 20. Four other people were hospitalised, including a 12-year-old girl who remains in critical condition in intensive care.
The incident took place around 2 am near the entrance of the Mahaganpati Utsav Mandal, close to a temporary drinking water stall. An electric current was detected at the stall. Fire brigade teams switched off the power supply and cordoned off the area as a precaution.
Six people were affected in total. Five were taken initially to one hospital, while one was shifted to another. The eight-year-old girl was declared dead at the first hospital. Three 19-year-olds admitted there were reported to be in stable condition. At the second hospital, a 33-year-old woman was declared dead, and the 12-year-old girl was placed in intensive care in critical condition.
A relative of the deceased girl said the family had arrived around 2 am and initially approached the pandal but turned back due to heavy crowding. They stopped near a shop beside the mandap to wait for the crowd to thin before heading home. She alleged that temporary electrical lights had been installed without adequate safety measures despite the large gathering. According to her account, rainwater had accumulated under a covering near the pandal, and when the water came into contact, an electrical light fell towards people nearby, causing the shock. She said two of her children were affected, and she herself received a shock while trying to pull one of them away.
Following the incident, electricity officials inspected the site. A temporary meter had been installed for festival illumination and a cold-drink stall. Wiring connected to the temporary meter had already been disconnected by a local electrician, and the power supply remained switched off.
The relative questioned the lack of proper electrical precautions around temporary installations during the festival and raised concerns about safety oversight at such crowded events.