2 killed, 225 injured in 'dahi handi' celebrations in Maharashtra

Janmashtami celebrations in Maharashtra were on Friday marred by the death of two persons, part of the 'dahi handi' troupes called 'Govindas'.

Janmashtami celebrations in Maharashtra were on Friday marred by the death of two persons, part of the 'dahi handi' troupes called 'Govindas'.

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In Thane, 35-year-old Deepak Tupe, who belonged to the Hanuman Mandal in Kurla, died at Pachpakhadi after falling off the human pyramid and suffocation.

In Dighi village of Raigad district, a 19-year-old died after falling off a pyramid.

In Mumbai, 225 persons were injured during the celebrations, sources in the civic body said.

The condition of a 22-year-old govinda, who sustained burns after falling on an overhead electric cable is serious, sources said.

MNS group leader in state assembly Bala Nandgaonkar shared the stage at the 'dahi handi' function organised by Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik.

At Sarnaik's celebration in Vartaknagar in Thane, the Jai Jawan Mandal successfully created a 43.79 feet high human pyramid and was given a certificate by the Guinness Book of World Records' representative.

In Worli, actor Hrithik Roshan and Congress minister Narayan Rane were among those present at the dahi handi organised by NCP minister Sachin Ahir.

In Thane, a govinda troupe completed a nine-layer human pyramid. In Mumbai, an 81-year old woman was also a part of the all-woman group which set out to break the dahi handi.