An 11-year-old Govinda died while practising for Dahi Handi (an earthen pot filled with curd) in Mumbai's Dahisar area. He lost his balance while climbing in formation with his team and suffered serious injuries after falling from a height. He was rushed to the hospital, but he was declared brought dead by the doctor.
The deceased has been identified as Mahesh Ramesh Jadhav (11), a resident of Ketkipada in Dahisar. On the day of the incident, Mahesh was practising with his team, and there were not enough people below to catch him if he fell.
While climbing the human pyramid, he lost his balance and fell directly to the ground, sustaining severe injuries. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries before treatment could begin. His tragic death has left the Jadhav family in deep sorrow and sent shockwaves through the community.
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Experts say that the absence of basic safety equipment such as helmets, safety belts and crash mats, along with a lack of proper supervision during training, contributes to such accidents. Many teams still build tall human towers without adhering to proper safety regulations.
In light of this, citizens and social organisations have demanded that the government draft strict safety rules for Dahi Handi practices and competitions and ensure their strict enforcement, warning that without such measures, similar tragedies are likely to happen again.