Mumbai: 14-Year-Old Among 2 Dead During ‘Dahi Handi’ Festivities On Janmashtami, 95 Injured

A 14-year-old boy and a 32-year-old man died on Saturday during ‘Dahi Handi’ festivities in Mumbai on Janmashtami. At least 95 ‘govindas’ were also injured during the celebrations in the city.

The boy, identified as Rohan Mohan Malvi, was part of the Gaondevi Govinda Pathak. He fell unconscious while sitting in a tempo in Adarsh Nagar area of Andheri East. He was then rushed to a hospital in Ghatkopar where the doctors declared him dead on arrival, a civic official told news agency PTI.

Malvi did not take part in the pyramid formation since he had 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 in the day, a 32-year-old man fell to death while tying ‘Dahi Handi’ in Mankhurd in Mumbai’s north eastern part. The deceased was identified as Jagmohan Shivkiran Chaudhari.

According to an official, Chaudhari was tying the handi to a rope from the first-floor window grille of his house in Maharashtra Nagar when he fell. The man was rushed to civic-run Shatabdi Govandi Hospital where he was declared brought dead.

As of 9:00 PM, the number of persons injured during the Dahi Handi festivities stood at 95, with two of them being critical, the official said.

“Of the 95 govindas, 76 were discharged after the treatment, while 19 are hospitalized. The 95 comprise 30 in the island city, 31 in the eastern suburbs and 34 in the western part of the city,” he informed.

At least nine govindas, some of them as young as five- and 10 years old, were also injured during Dahi Handi celebrations in Thane city.

Dahi Handi celebrations are common in Maharashtra on Gokulashtami. It is celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Krishna and involves groups of ‘govindas’ forming a human pyramid to break an earthen pot filled with curd suspended in the air with ropes.