153 Dahi Handi participants injured in Mumbai, 64 in Thane city

Mumbai/Thane: As many as 153 'Govindas' or Dahi Handi participants were injured while forming human pyramids during Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in Mumbai, while 64 suffered injuries in Thane city, civic officials said on Saturday.

In Mumbai, while most of the injured persons were discharged after treatment, 23 others were admitted to hospitals and their condition is stable, they said.

In Thane city, the home turf of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, 12 out of the 64 injured are being treated at hospitals, but all of them are out of danger, the officials said.

Dahi Handi, part of the Krishna Janmashtami festivities, was celebrated with extra fervour across the state on Friday after the COVID-19 pandemic-induced hiatus of two years. Troupes of 'Govindas' competed with each other to form human towers to break earthen pots ('handi') containing buttermilk and curd ('dahi') suspended high in the air.

The festival is especially celebrated on a large scale in Mumbai, Thane and the adjoining areas. Dahi Handi events and Govinda troupes receive considerable political patronage in these cities.

Of the 153 injured persons in Mumbai, as many as 40 persons were treated at the civic-run KEM Hospital, followed by 17 at Rajawadi Hospital and 14 at Cooper Hospital, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials said.

Civic-run hospitals, including Nair Hospital treated 12 participants, Sion Hospital 10, Trauma Care Hospital six, Bhabha Hospital five, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital three and Shatabdi Hospital treated two participants.

A civic official said that many injured participants were also treated at state-run hospitals. Thirteen participants were treated at state-run GT Hospital, five at Saint George hospital and three at JJ hospital, while several others at private medical facilities.

Chief of Thane Municipal Corporation's Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC), Avinash Sawant, said, "A total of 64 participants suffered injuries while forming human pyramids as part of Dahi Handi celebrations in Thane city on Friday. Most of the injured were provided treatment by the medical teams present on the spot." While nine of the injured are being treated at Kalwa Civic Hospital, two others are undergoing treatment at the District Civil Hospital, and one at Kaushalya Hospital, he said.

"All of them are out of danger and recovering," Sawant said.

On Thursday, CM Shinde had informed the state Legislative Assembly that the government has decided to accord adventure sport status to Dahi Handi. The adventure sport tag will allow young participants at these events to apply for government jobs under the sports quota.

Participants or their families will also be provided compensation if the participants suffer injuries while forming human pyramids, the chief minister had said.

Government hospitals had been instructed to treat injured Govindas free of cost.