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The festivities turned tragic as two ‘govindas’ died, including a 14-year-old boy and a 32-year-old man. 95 others were injured
A govinda climbs a rope during Dahi Handi ceremony on the occasion of Janmashtami festival in Mumbai. (PTI photo)
Two people died during Mumbai’s Dahi Handi celebrations on Saturday, including a 14-year-old boy who was declared dead on arrival at a hospital in Ghatkopar, officials said. Dozens were also injured, with some in serious condition.
The deceased teen, Rohan Mohan Malvi, a member of the Gaondevi Govinda Pathak, lost consciousness while sitting in a tempo in Adarsh Nagar, Andheri East.
An official said Rohan had not participated in forming the human pyramid as he was recovering from jaundice. He was rushed to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Earlier in the day, a 32-year-old man died after falling while tying a ‘Dahi Handi’ in Mankhurd, in the northeastern part of the city. The man was identified as Jagmohan Shivkiran Chaudhari.
Officials said Jagmohan was tying the handi — an earthen pot filled with curd, which groups of ‘govindas’ try to break by forming a human pyramid — to a rope from the first-floor window grille of his house in Maharashtra Nagar. He fell and was taken to the civic-run Shatabdi Govandi Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
By 9 pm on Saturday, 95 people had been injured during the celebrations, with two in serious condition, the official added.
Of the injured, 76 were treated and discharged, while 19 remained hospitalised. The casualties were spread across the city, with 30 in the island city area, 31 in the eastern suburbs, and 34 in the western suburbs.
Dahi Handi is celebrated across Maharashtra to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. During the festival, teams of young men and women form human pyramids to reach and break the curd-filled handi suspended in the air by ropes. The event is known for its colourful and lively atmosphere but can also be dangerous due to the risky pyramid formations.
(With inputs from PTI)
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
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