24 August,2026 07:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Sanket Nevshe, the late secretary of the Bhuleshwar Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Samiti, and his father Jagannath Nevshe. Pics/By Special Arrangement
Sanket Nevshe, 33, one of the two deceased in the Bhuleshwarcha Raja tragedy, headed the Bhuleshwar Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samiti as its secretary, following in the footsteps of his father, Jagannath Nevshe, a key pillar in making this mandal popular among locals since its establishment 63 years ago.
Two years ago, when Jagannath passed away, his son took over the responsibility of heading the committee. Mukesh Kothari, a Bhuleshwar resident, said, "I was not among those in the procession, but I ran to come here when I heard about the tragic incident. In the videos, we can clearly see that Nevshe had just gotten closer to the idol, and was near the pandal just minutes before the fall."
[popcorn number="12.30 PM" desc="Time Brijesh Joshi was cremated on Sunday" class="Default"]
Another local, Anand Patil, said, "Nevshe was checking something near the pandal, and returned to the idol, and just as it fell, he, in the instant, might have thought that he could stop it. We all rushed in as soon as the realisation sank in about the fall. And we started pulling people out without any thought."
Kothari added, "The first one to be pulled out from under the idol was Nevshe. He was one of the kids of our locality." Nevshe was rushed to Reliance Hospital in a police van but was declared dead.
Brijesh Joshi, the other deceased, had turned 30 two weeks ago. Since 1 pm on Saturday, he was actively involved in planning the aagman (arrival) of the idol, and went to Bakri Adda, Byculla West. "He followed the idol every step of the way. He lost his life when the idol came to his doorstep, and it collapsed," said Jignesh Shantilal Shah, a family friend of the Joshis.
Shreeprati Aradhana building where Brijesh Joshi lost his life
The idol tilted and collapsed right in front of the Shreeprati Aradhana building, where the Joshis live on the seventh floor, between 9.30 pm and 9.50 pm. "About 150 people were involved in trying to move the idol, but we could not move it. It took almost 45 minutes to pull Brijesh from under the idol. The incident also occurred a mere 15 to 20 feet away from the pandal, where the idol was to be placed," said Shah, who lives on the 17th floor of the same building.
Brijesh Joshi's friends and family recount that he was fond of Ganeshotsav and was actively involved in the mandal's activities growing up. "We have all lived here all our lives, when this building was a chawl. Since then, he has volunteered with the committee for the Ganeshotsav. He was also an active participant in the festival within the housing society. We have a small Ganesh idol installed every year," a friend recalled.
Brijesh is survived by his wife, his 1.5-year-old son, his mother, and a younger brother. He was cremated at 12.30 pm on Sunday at the Chandanwadi crematorium. Another friend recalled, "In another cruel twist of fate, Brijesh lost his father at the age of three. We now hope his 1.5-year-old son will remember him when he grows up."
