Five people were injured after a live wire sent a jolt of current through a crowd celebrating Dahi Handi in Maharashtra's Raigad district. The incident happened in the Lainali area of Panvel city, triggering panic among those gathered for the festival. All five were rushed to hospital, and two children among them are currently under observation in the ICU.
How the wire and rope came into contact
Every year, residents in the Lainali area break a Dahi Handi tied as a votive offering using a stick. This time, the rope used to hang the handi ran close to an overhead electric wire. Heavy rain had left the surrounding road waterlogged, and when the rope came into contact with the live wire, current spread through the area and struck five people nearby. All the injured were admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Doctors are keeping a close watch on their condition, particularly the two children who remain under observation in the ICU.
A seven-year-old boy killed, 376 Govindas hurt in Mumbai
In a separate incident, municipal officials said on Sunday that a minor boy died and 376 Govindas were injured during Dahi Handi celebrations in Mumbai. According to an official, a group of children was celebrating Dahi Handi on its own on Saturday afternoon near the Ekta Welfare Society in Malvani's Chikuwadi when a pillar made of bricks collapsed. The falling structure killed a seven-year-old boy, while a total of 376 Govindas across the city were reported injured in festival-related incidents.
Which hospitals treated the most casualties
Officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said the highest number of injured, 183, were admitted to hospitals in the Island City, followed by 126 in the western suburbs and 62 in the eastern suburbs. Of the injured, 53 remain hospitalised, 37 others are still under treatment, while 286 have been discharged after treatment. Parel's KEM Hospital recorded the highest number of injured Govindas at 76, followed by Jogeshwari's HBT Trauma Care Hospital with 34, Ghatkopar's Rajawadi Hospital and Vikhroli's V N Desai Hospital with 33 each, and Mumbai Central's Nair Hospital with 32. The municipally-run Sion Hospital and Govandi's BDBA Hospital each treated 18 injured people.
Two incidents, one weekend of safety concerns
The Raigad and Mumbai incidents both unfolded over the same Dahi Handi weekend. In Panvel, rainwater and a stray electric wire turned a festive gathering into an emergency, while in Mumbai a collapsing brick pillar cost a child his life and left hundreds of Govindas injured. In both cases, large crowds, handis strung up at height, and nearby hazards such as live wires or makeshift structures raised the risk. Quick hospitalisation helped save lives in both cities, but the twin accidents have once again raised questions about safety arrangements at crowded festival events.
