20 September,2026 06:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ashish Shelar urged every Ganpati mandal to strictly follow safety regulations and guidelines issued by the administration. Pic/X (@ShelarAshish)
Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar on Sunday urged Ganpati mandals across Mumbai to give the highest priority to the safety of devotees and remain vigilant about crowd management during Ganeshotsav 2026, reported the PTI.
Shelar made the appeal after visiting KEM Hospital, where he met the families of two women who died in an electrocution incident near a Ganesh pandal in Kalachowki.
Eight-year-old Ragini Ghanshyam Yadav and 33-year-old Sujata were killed, while four others were injured after suffering electric shocks near a temporary drinking water stall outside the Kalachowki Mahaganpati Utsav Mandal, according to the PTI.
The incident took place at around 2.20 am near the entrance gate of the pandal at Digvijay Mill Chawl on Dattaram Lad Marg in Kalachowki.
According to officials, a short circuit apparently occurred in the area amid heavy crowds of devotees.
During his visit to KEM Hospital, Shelar met Ragini's father and Sujata's husband and expressed his condolences to the families.
He said the authorities had been instructed to provide all necessary administrative assistance to the affected families.
Shelar also directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai Police to make arrangements for transporting Sujata's mortal remains to her husband's native village, the PTI reported.
Shelar said Ganeshotsav 2026 is a festival of faith, enthusiasm and social harmony, but the safety of citizens and devotees must remain the top priority.
He urged every Ganpati mandal to strictly follow safety regulations and guidelines issued by the administration.
The minister also said necessary instructions had been issued to the Mumbai Police and BMC, with mandals being asked to remain particularly vigilant about crowd movement, safety around pandals and overall arrangements.
Shelar said police have registered an FIR in connection with the electrocution incident.
He also appealed to devotees to cooperate with safety measures implemented by the administration and Ganpati mandals.
"I request all Ganesh mandals in Mumbai to give the highest priority to safety while preserving the joy of the festival and its tradition of devotion," Shelar said, the news agency reported.
(with PTI inputs)
