Police ‘verify’ viral videos, rule out stampede at Kharghar awards function

Navi Mumbai police deny allegations of a stampede during the Maharashtra Bhushan awards ceremony, stating that 14 deaths were due to heatstroke and dehydration. Viral videos on social media reportedly show pushing and shoving among attendees, but not a stampede. Relatives of the victims are questioning why the event organiser has not been held responsible.

Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai police on Thursday claimed that they have verified viral videos on social media and refuted allegations that there was a stampede when people suffered heatstroke, which led to chaos during the Maharashtra Bhushan awards ceremony at Kharghar Corporate Park on Sunday.

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Fourteen people have so far died because of heatstroke during the event on March 16. According to the police, though there was some pushing and shoving at the event, it was not a stampede. They said that some attendees had already fallen unconscious due to dehydration, which led to confusion and chaos at the venue.

“The videos that have surfaced are from the same event. However, they are not of any stampede. There was overcrowding in that area, and it led to pushing and tripping of people over one another. There were women lying down, possibly due to exhaustion and some might have even fallen unconscious, but it was definitely not a stampede,” said Milind Bharambe, Navi Mumbai police commissioner.

“The post-mortem reports, too, state that the deaths were due to exhaustion and dehydration. A case of accidental death has been registered and we are investigating it,” added Bharambe.

Meanwhile, Sunil Mestry, the brother of Meenakshi Mestry, one of the 14 dead, has identified his sister in a video and questioned why the police are not taking suo moto action against the organiser of the event.

“In the video, I can clearly see my sister, who has fallen and is probably unconscious and many are walking over her. She might have surely suffered injuries and if indeed that is the case, why does the post-mortem only mention death due to dehydration? I want justice for my sister. She went there out of devotion and not to die,” said Sunil.

The post-mortem report, in possession of HT, certifies Mestry’s death as ‘Acute renal failure due to dehydration in case of sunstroke with atherosclerotic heart disease’.

“If a road accident is caused due to potholes or any other issue, the contractor who built the road, is booked and questioned. In this case, why is the organiser of the event not being questioned? The government must have given the contract to someone. So many crores of rupees were spent on what? Just on the stage and the shelter for VIPs? These things need to be investigated,” said Sunil adding, “I agree that the death might have occurred due to sunstroke but why is there no mention of any physical injury?”