Dahi Handi festivities claim 2 lives in Mumbai

In Malvani, seven-year-old Rudra Kadam succumbed to head injuries sustained when a brick column collapsed as the children struck the pot strung on a rope tied to the column at one end and a tree at the other

MUMBAI / NAVI MUMBAI: The Janmashtami festivities took a tragic turn, claiming two lives on Saturday – a seven-year-old boy was killed when he and his friends attempted to break a dahi handi at Ekta Welfare Society at Chikuwadi on the Malad-Marve Road. The other casualty was a 34-year-old Navi Mumbai resident, who died when the human pyramid he was a part of collapsed at Ghansoli at 8:30pm.

iMumbai, India - September 05, 2026: A seven-year-old boy, Rudra Kadam, died after a brick column collapsed on him during a Dahi Handi celebration at Ekta Welfare Society in Chikuwadi, Malvani in mumbai, India, on Saturday, September 05, 2026. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

In Malvani, seven-year-old Rudra Kadam succumbed to head injuries sustained when a brick column collapsed as the children struck the pot strung on a rope tied to the column at one end and a tree at the other.

Manisha Kadam, 28, Rudra’s mother, says she wanted to go to her mother’s place and had asked Rudra to accompany her. “He said I should go and he would stay back,” she recalled. Manisha said she had tried to stop him from participating, telling him that dahi handi was a sport for adults and that he could get hurt. But Rudra was adamant on participating in the festivities.

According to Avinash Bhardwaj, 33, a local resident, the brick column was a part of a partially demolished ground-floor structure. As the kids excitedly struck the pot, the column gave way and collapsed on Rudra. The other children sustained only scratches, Bhardwaj said.

Civic sources said the column that collapsed was among illegal structures that were demolished around 18 months ago.

Rudra, a Class 2 student at a BMC school, was rushed to the Malvani General Hospital, but was declared on arrival. His body was taken to Charkop, where the last rites were performed at around 9pm.

Meanwhile, 168 Govindas were reported injured during the dahi handi celebrations across Mumbai on Saturday, according to the BMC. Of these, 29 were admitted to various hospitals for treatment. The highest number of injuries was reported in the island city, which recorded 106 injured Govindas.

In Navi Mumbai, a 34-year-old resident of Ghansoli died as the human pyramid he was part of collapsed during Janmashtami festivities organised by the Devidas Chaugule Dahi Handi Mandal on Saturday. The incident took place at around 8.30pm.

The deceased has been identified as Swapnil Sadanand Nawar, a resident of the koliwada in Ghansoli village. He was injured when the pyramid collapsed and was declared dead on arrival at a local hospital.