Ganesh Idol Collapse in Bhuleshwar Kills Two, Injures Five

In Bhuleshwar, a tragic accident during Ganeshotsav arrival preparations claimed the lives of two men and injured five others when a 22-foot Ganesh idol collapsed on Saturday. The incident occurred barely 300 metres from the pandal where the 'Bhuleshwarcha Raja' was scheduled to be installed.

The deceased were identified as 33-year-old Sanket Nevshe, president of the Akhil Bhuleshwar Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal Trust, and 30-year-old Brijesh Hemant Joshi. Five others sustained injuries in the collapse, including two children aged five and seven.

According to BJP corporator Akash Purohit, mandal workers had noticed that the nearly two-and-a-half-tonne idol was loose and unstable when collecting it from a workshop in Byculla. The workers decided to address the issue after bringing the idol to the pandal. However, as the procession neared the pandal, the idol began to topple after the welding gave way.

Three people were on the trolley attempting to steady the idol when it suddenly tilted. While one worker, Jeevan Manipally, managed to jump off in time, Nevshe and another worker fell along with the idol and were crushed beneath it. Eyewitnesses stated that Nevshe was pierced by a metal rod as he attempted to halt the fall, possibly moving forward to shield children standing directly in front of the structure.

Nevshe, who lived in Chira Bazar and operated a wholesale vegetable business, was accorded his final rites on Sunday morning as local residents and mandal workers gathered in grief.

The tragedy also claimed the life of Brijesh Hemant Joshi, who resided on the seventh floor of Shreepati Aradhana, a building located just a few feet from the accident site. Joshi, who was the sole breadwinner of his family, had joined the preparations due to his proximity to the mandal. He is survived by his wife, Rima, and their son, Rishav.