22 Govindas Injured in Dahi Handi Pyramid Falls Across Mumbai; 21 Discharged

Twenty-two 'govindas' were injured while attempting to form multi-tiered human pyramids during Dahi Handi celebrations across Mumbai and its suburbs on Saturday, according to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials.

Twenty of the injured participants were admitted to hospitals within the island city, and all twenty were subsequently discharged following medical treatment. In the eastern suburbs, one govinda sustained injuries and was discharged after receiving care. Another participant who was injured in a western suburb remains hospitalised and is currently undergoing treatment.

Dahi Handi is organised as part of the Janmashtami festival, which marks the birth of Lord Krishna. Celebrated with traditional fervour across Mumbai and other regions of Maharashtra, the festivities see groups of youngsters, known as govindas, construct multi-storeyed human pyramids to reach and break clay pots filled with curd suspended high in the air.

In preparation for potential accidents during the celebrations, the BMC had announced extensive medical arrangements across municipal healthcare facilities. A civic release issued on Friday confirmed that over 100 hospital beds had been kept on standby for injured revellers across 16 civic-run suburban hospitals, as well as major tertiary centres including Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in Sion, KEM Hospital in Parel, and Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central.

Alongside civic medical preparations, the Mumbai Police stepped up security across the city for the festival, deploying heavy bandobast in sensitive areas to maintain law and order as crowds gathered for the celebrations.