11-yr-old boy dies after falling during practice for Dahi Handi

As Dahi Handi festival is set to take place on August 16, preparations for the same are on full swing across the city.

Mumbai | August 12, 2025 11:18 IST

Last year, during the Dahi Handi festival 245 participants (Govindas) were injured and of them, 213 were treated and discharged on the same day. (Representative/File Photo)

An 11-year-old boy died after he fell during a practice rehearsal for the Dahi Handi in Dahisar area, Sunday night. A police officer said that an absence of safety measures by the organisers during the rehearsal, led to the death of the boy and subsequently the police registered an FIR against the president of Navtarun Mitra Mandal that was organising the Dahi Hadi.

Initially, the Dahisar police registered a case of accidental death report (ADR) but after investigation, on Sunday afternoon, the police registered a case against Balaji alias Balu Ramesh Surnar, 35, president of the Navtarun Mitra Mandal which was organising the Dahi Handi. The FIR has been registered under section 106 (1) (causing death by negligence) and 223 (deals with the offense of disobedience to orders duly promulgated by a public servant) against Surnar.

Senior inspector Sarjirao Patil of the Dahisar Police station said that while Surnar has not been arrested as of now, but legal action will be taken soon against him. he said that Surnar did not ensure safety measures for the participants and he also allowed children below the 14-years of age to participate in the practice of human pyramid, which is in violation of the High court order. He further said that the practice rehearsals carry high risk of fatality and sometimes people suffer severe fractures.

The deceased was identified as Mahesh Jadhav, who climbed to the top of the pyramid, but lost balance and fell directly to the ground. As the boy sustained severe injuries to his head and other parts of the body, people rushed him to the hospital but he was declared dead on arrival, added the official.

Around 30 to 40 members of Navtarun Mitra Mandal had gathered at Ketkipada area for the practice and the child was supposed to climb the top of the pyramid. The officer said that the team was building a pyramid and while it had reached the sixth level, Jadhav climbed the sixth level but then he lost balance and could not hold the rope and directly fell to the ground sustaining severe injuries, added the official.

As Dahi Handi festival is set to take place on August 16, preparations for the same are on full swing across the city.

Last year, during the Dahi Handi festival 245 participants (Govindas) were injured and of them, 213 were treated and discharged on the same day. The remaining 32 were admitted to hospitals and treated for their injuries. Compared to last year, around 107 Govindas suffered injuries in 2023. They were nearly similar in 2022 when numbers had gone up to 111 individuals who sustained injuries on the day of the Dahi Handi.

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