Seven-Year-Old Boy Dies as Brick Column Collapses During Mumbai Dahi Handi Celebration

A seven-year-old boy died after a brick column collapsed on him during a Dahi Handi celebration at Ekta Welfare Society in Malad, Mumbai, on Saturday afternoon.

The incident was reported at about 3:01 p.m. at Room No. 23 in Chikuwadi, Malvani, on Marve Road. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said children had been celebrating on their own, with the rope holding the Dahi Handi tied between a tree and a brick column supporting a ground-floor structure.

The column collapsed as the children tried to break the handi. The boy suffered a serious head injury and was taken to Malvani General Hospital, where authorities declared him dead on arrival.

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Break the pot, but protect life. Remember that your parents are waiting for you at home. Every govinda must ensure their teammates do not get injured.

A separate Dahi Handi-related death occurred in Pune. Salma Salauddin Pathan, a resident of Old Sangavi in Pimpri Chinchwad, was crushed when a temporary iron structure supporting loudspeakers collapsed after an event organised by the Vighnaharta Mandal. Workers were dismantling the frame when a heavy section fell on her. She died after being taken to hospital.

Pathan’s son was an office-bearer of the organising group, and her family declined to file a complaint. Police also said relatives asked them not to register a case independently. At least 32 Govindas were injured in Mumbai and 10 others in neighbouring Thane while forming human pyramids.

Speaking at celebrations in Thane, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde urged participants to prioritise safety over records. “Break the pot, but protect life. Remember that your parents are waiting for you at home. Every govinda must ensure their teammates do not get injured,” he said, calling Thane the “Pandharpur of Govindas”.

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Pandharpur of Govindas