Kharghar tragedy: Woman put on ventilator dies, taking the toll to 14

“She was on a ventilator and breathed her last on Tuesday. Her preliminary cause of death is heatstroke with comorbidities,” said Vitthal Dhake, deputy municipal commissioner for Panvel Municipal Corporation.

A total of 650 people have suffered from heatstroke and other complications at the venue on Tuesday. Many of them were given primary medication at the medical booths set up on the ground. After recovering many left home from the health booths, while 60 people were rushed to various nearby hospitals for treatment as their health conditions needed immediate medical treatment.

On Sunday itself 11 people had died. Two more lost their battle with life on Monday, and another person succumbed on Tuesday. 36 patients were discharged from the hospitals on Monday, while 10 are still undergoing treatment.
Raigad collector Dr Yogesh Mhase said on Monday that the impact of heatstroke was increased due to the comorbidities of some patients, leading to their deaths.

The April 16 award ceremony for Dharmadhikari was organised by the state government and attended by nearly 21 lakh followers of the social activist from across the state. The Union Home Minister Amit Shah was the chief guest for the event. The event started at around 10.30 a.m. and was concluded at 1.15 p.m.

Many Shrisadasya (followers of Appasaheb Dharmadhikari) while exiting the ground fainted, felt dizziness, and collapsed due to dehydration and sunstroke, as many of them were exposed to direct sunlight for hours on the open ground.

Though, considering the high temperature, the administration had made arrangements for water at the event ground, but the tap water ran hot and could not be consumed by the people, and they sustained heatstroke.

The political parties in opposition have been demanding a judicial inquiry in the said matter, claiming there were glaring administrative lapses on the government’s part, and have also demanded the registration of criminal cases of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the officers responsible.