Mumbai/Thane, Aug 17: Two persons have died and 117 others suffered injuries during the ‘Dahi Handi’ festival in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane city which drew large crowds of people, including celebrities, officials said.
In Thane, Bollywood actors Govinda, Chunky Pandey and Sunil Shetty attended the festivities held on Saturday.
Some leaders of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) also came together to join the celebration, amid speculation of a possible alliance between the two parties for the upcoming local body polls in Maharashtra.
Amid the scramble to woo Marathi voters, Dahi Handi celebrations organised by leaders of the Shiv Sena (UBT), rival Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Raj Thackeray-headed MNS in Mumbai and neighbouring areas remained steeped in political symbolism.
The festival, celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, saw troupes of young men and women forming human pyramids to break dahi handis (pots of curd) suspended in the air with ropes.
Rohan Mohan Malvi, part of the Gaondevi Govinda Pathak, fell unconscious while sitting in a tempo at Adarsh Nagar in Mumbai’s Andheri area on Saturday, an official said, adding he did not take part in the pyramid formation since he recently suffered a bout of jaundice.
“He was rushed to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar where doctors declared him dead on arrival,” the official said.
Earlier, on Saturday afternoon, a 32-year-old man, identified as Jagmohan Shivkiran Chaudhari, fell to death while tying ‘Dahi Handi’ in Mankhurd in the north eastern part of the metropolis, officials said.
“He was tying the handi to a rope from the first-floor window grille of his house in Maharashtra Nagar when he fell. He was taken to the civic-run Shatabdi Govandi Hospital where he was declared brought dead,” an official said.
Till 9 pm on Saturday, 95 persons were reported to be injured during the festivities in Mumbai, with the condition of two being serious, the official said.
“Of the 95 govindas, 76 were discharged after treatment, while 19 are hospitalised. The 95 injured comprise 30 in the island city, 31 in the eastern suburbs and 34 in the western part of the city,” he informed.
In Thane city, 22 participants were injured while attempting human pyramids, local civic body’s disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said.
Of them, 17 were admitted to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, including some who suffered head injuries, shoulder dislocations, waist and chest injuries, he said.
An 18-year-old participant, who suffered a head injury, was referred to the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai for advanced care. Some of the others injured included children in the age group of 5 to 10 years, the official said.
Another five persons were admitted to the District Government Hospital in Thane, with injuries ranging from hand fractures to back pain and abrasions, Tadvi said.
The festivities drew large crowds at multiple mandals in Thane where actors Govinda, Chunky Pandey and Sunil Shetty joined the celebrations.
Actor Govinda danced to some of his popular songs at a Dahi Handi festival gathering in Tembi Naka area of Thane, where Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was also present.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former MP Rajan Vichare and MNS leader Avinash Jadhav came together at festivities organised by the Raj Thackeray’s party at Naupada in Thane, and announced their partnership was like “Fevicol ki jodi which cannot be separated by anyone.” (PTI)
