Teen among 2 dead in Dahi Handi celebrations in Maharashtra, over 200 injured

Mumbai – The vibrant Dahi Handi celebrations, a highlight of Janmashtami in Maharashtra, turned tragic on Saturday as two fatalities and over 200 injuries were reported in Mumbai and Thane. The festival, which honors Lord Krishna’s birth, involves groups of young men and women, known as ‘govindas,’ forming human pyramids to break earthen pots filled with curd suspended high above the ground.

In Mumbai, a 14-year-old boy, recently recovered from jaundice, collapsed while seated in a tempo and was pronounced dead upon arrival at a hospital, a civic official told PTI. The teenager had not participated in the pyramid formation. In a separate incident in Mankhurd, 32-year-old Jagmohan Shivkiran Chaudhari fell to his death while securing a Dahi Handi pot from a first-floor window. PTI reported that Chaudhari was pronounced dead at Shatabdi Govandi Hospital after the fall.

Thane also saw injuries, with at least nine govindas, including young children, hurt during the celebrations. A 13-year-old girl fractured her right hand, a 10-year-old boy sustained a head injury, and a five-year-old injured his left shoulder, all receiving treatment at Kalwa hospital, per PTI. Another 10-year-old was treated for a hand injury at a district hospital. Yasin Tadvi, head of Thane Municipal Corporation’s Disaster Management Cell, emphasized that organizers had been explicitly instructed to bar children under 14 from participating due to the risks involved.

Despite the somber incidents, a Thane event saw a team of govindas achieve a remarkable 10-layer human pyramid, organized by Purvesh Sarnaik, son of Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik. The minister hailed it as a world record, announcing a Rs 25 lakh prize for the Konkan Nagar Raja Govinda team.

The incidents underscore the need for stricter safety measures during such high-risk cultural events.