Even as the death toll due to sunstroke at an award function in Navi Mumbai stood at 14 so far as per the official figures, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut claimed that 50 to 75 people have died in the tragedy, and accused the Maharashtra government of hiding the real number of the deceased.
Raut said he interacted with the workers of his party from Uran, Shrivardhan, Roha and Mangaon talukas in Raigad district, who told him that the actual number of the people who died at Kharghar is bigger than what the government has announced.
Accusing the state government of hiding the real number of fatalities, Raut said, If you look at the total figure from all the villages (from the talukas in Raigad) then minimum 50 and maximum 75 people have died. Khoke sarkar (a term the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena uses to mock the Eknath Shinde-led government) people have reached their homes and suppressed the voice of family members.
This is a cruel government and it has no right to be in power. The government should immediately resign, the Rajya Sabha member alleged. Raut also backed Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole's demand for a special two-day session of the state legislature to discuss the tragedy.
Officials have said that 14 people died after suffering from sunstroke during the Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony held in Kharghar area of Raigad district neighbouring Mumbai on Sunday. The function was held in an open ground and was attended by several lakh people, most of them followers of social worker Appasaheb Dharmadhikari, who was conferred with the Maharashtra Bhushan award by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the event.