Mumbai, Sep 20 (PTI) An eight-year-old girl and a woman died, and four others were injured early Sunday after suffering electric shocks at a temporary drinking water stall near a Ganesh pandal in Mumbai’s Lalbaug area, which witnessed massive crowds of devotees to take darshan of the deity.
A site inspection indicated that a temporary electric meter was installed for illumination near the entrance.
The densely-populated Lalbaug-Parel belt is widely considered the epicentre of the city’s public Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, housing iconic and massive idols placed within walking distance of each other, attracting thousands of people.
The incident occurred apparently after a short circuit near the entrance gate of the Mahaganpati Utsav Mandal in Digvijay Mill Chawl (row tenement) on Dattaram Lad Marg in Kalachowki neighbourhood in Lalbaug at 2.20 am, when the area was witnessing massive crowds, officials said.
They said an electric current was detected at a temporary drinking water-cum-cold drink stall erected near the pandal entrance.
Following the incident, fire brigade personnel immediately switched off the power supply at the spot, and the area was cordoned off as a precautionary measure.
Six persons who suffered electric shocks were rushed to nearby hospitals, where two of them were declared dead, the officials said.
A girl, identified as Raghini Ghanshyam Yadav (8), was declared brought dead at Masina Hospital in Byculla. Three others — Kiran Akbar Naik (19), Tanvi Naresh Hande (19), and Sahil Sandip Tare (19) — were undergoing treatment at the hospital, and their condition was reported to be stable, a civic official said.
Two other persons were taken to Global Hospital in Parel, where a woman, identified as Sujata (33), was declared brought dead. A minor girl, Ruhi Singh (12), was in a critical condition and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the official said.
Officials from Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking conducted a site inspection at the chawl, which indicated that a temporary electric meter was installed for illumination of the Ganesh festival celebration and the cold drink stall. Its wiring and MCB (miniature circuit breaker) were disconnected by a local electrician, officials said.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Sunday evening, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking said that following the incident, its officials disconnected the power supply to temporary meter No. M-217392 installed at the Kalachowky Vibhag Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal.
BEST also issued a 38B notice to the mandal for faulty electrical installation, the statement said.
The local wireman had already switched off the distribution box supply. BEST and PWD officials inspected the site, while an assistant commissioner of police and his team visited the spot, the BEST statement said.
The Kalachowki Police registered an FIR against the stall operator, identified as Kamal Shetty, under Sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and 125(b) (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Locals and eyewitnesses alleged overcrowding and jostling occurred ahead of the electrocution tragedy.
Amardeep Gosavi, an old office-bearer of the Mandal, told media persons that the Dattram Lad Marg witnessed massive crowds on Saturday night. He estimated 50,000 or more people at the time.
“There was neither adequate police personnel deployment on the road nor was there any crowd management,” they said.
At the time of the incident, there was a huge rush in the ‘Mukha darshan’ line of Mahaganpati, due to which barricades were bent and broken. Also, due to massive crowds going in both directions, the entire road was choked, especially outside the pandal’s gate.
“Amid jostling of the crowd, some people were pushed to the stall. Due to which the iron beams of the stall broke, and they might have come in contact with the electric current,” an eyewitness said, adding that everything happened within a few seconds.
Rohan Rane, an activist of the Mandal, was inside the pandal when he learnt about the incident.
When he reached the spot, the injured were rushed to adjoining Astha Nursing Home, from where they were later taken to Masina and Global Hospital.
“First, we rushed them to the hospital, holding them in our arms and putting them in wheelchairs, making a way through the crowd. Later, we took them to hospitals on two-wheelers,” Rane said.
Separately, a 19-year-old worker died of electric shock on Sunday after he entered a closed artificial pond for Lord Ganesh idol immersion in Mumbai’s Jogeshwari area.
The incident occurred at Shyam Nagar Lake in the afternoon when a worker, identified as Rohit Bhimu Rathod, entered one of the already closed artificial ponds for idol immersion, an official said.
Citing information received from the Assistant Commissioner of K/North ward in western suburbs, the official said five artificial immersion ponds had been set up at the lake, of which four were closed after midnight.
Speaking on the Lalbaug incident, Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar asked Ganpati mandals to give the highest priority to the safety of devotees and be vigilant and responsible towards crowd management.
“Ganeshotsav is a festival of faith, enthusiasm and social harmony. However, the safety of citizens and devotees must remain the highest priority during the celebrations. Every Ganesh mandal must strictly follow safety regulations in its area as well as the guidelines issued by the administration,” he said. PTI KK ZA SCY GK BNM NSK
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