2 dead, 117 injured during Dahi Handi celebrations in Mumbai
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Mumbai: Two people died and 117 others were injured during Dahi Handi celebrations in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane on Saturday, officials said. The festivities, held to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, drew large crowds, including celebrities and political leaders.
In Mumbai, 32-year-old Jagmohan Shivkiran Chaudhari died while tying a Dahi Handi to a rope from a first-floor window grille in Mankhurd. He was rushed to the Shatabdi Govandi Hospital, where he was declared dead. Another victim, Rohan Mohan Malvi, part of the Gaondevi Govinda Pathak, fell unconscious while sitting in a tempo in Andheri; he was taken to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar and pronounced dead. Malvi had not participated in the pyramid formation as he was recovering from jaundice.
A total of 95 participants were reported injured in Mumbai, including 30 in the island city, 31 in the eastern suburbs, and 34 in the western part of the metropolis. Nineteen were hospitalised, with two in serious condition, while 76 were discharged after treatment.
In Thane, 22 participants were injured attempting human pyramids, with 17 admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa for injuries including head trauma, shoulder dislocations, and chest or waist injuries. An 18-year-old with a head injury was referred to J J Hospital in Mumbai for advanced care. Five others were treated at the District Government Hospital in Thane for fractures, back pain, and abrasions. Some of the injured were children aged between five and ten.
The celebrations in Thane saw the presence of Bollywood actors Govinda, Chunky Pandey, and Sunil Shetty. Actor Govinda performed to his popular songs at a gathering in Tembi Naka, where Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was also present.
Dahi Handi festivities organised by leaders of Shiv Sena (UBT), the rival Shiv Sena led by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Mumbai and Thane carried significant political symbolism, amid speculation of alliances ahead of local body polls. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Rajan Vichare and MNS leader Avinash Jadhav appeared together at the Naupada celebrations, calling their partnership “like Fevicol ki jodi, which cannot be separated by anyone.”
The festival saw young men and women forming human pyramids to break curd-filled handis suspended in the air, continuing a tradition marked by competition, skill, and cultural celebration.
With PTI inputs
