MUMBAI: A seven-year-old boy died after a brick column of a ground-floor structure collapsed on him during a Dahi Handi, or human pyramid, celebration in Mumbai's Malad on Saturday afternoon.
The boy was among children celebrating Dahi Handi at Ekta Welfare Society when the column collapsed. At least 32 'Govindas' were injured in Mumbai and 10 others in neighbouring Thane while forming human pyramids as part of the celebrations.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said preliminary information indicated that a group of children was celebrating Dahi Handi on their own. The rope holding the Dahi Handi was tied between a tree and a brick column of a ground-floor structure, which eventually collapsed.
While the children were attempting to break the handi, the brick column fell on the seven-year-old boy. He suffered a serious head injury and was immediately rushed to Malvani General Hospital for treatment.
Following the incident, the ward control room, municipal employees and police rushed to the spot.
However, hospital authorities said the child was declared dead.
In another Dahi Handi-related incident, a woman was crushed to death under an iron frame in Pune. The deceased woman has been identified as Salma Salauddin Pathan, a resident of the Old Sangavi area in Pimpri Chinchwad.
She died after a temporary iron structure erected to support a stack of loudspeakers for a Dahi Handi event collapsed on her on Friday night.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the safety of the Govindas is important while breaking the Dahi Handi during the formation of the human pyramids.
Shinde, speaking with Govindas, said that the safety of Govindas matters and urged them to practise discipline and mutual care.
