Lalbaugcha Raja darshan: 25-year-old Pune man dies after medical emergency in queue

Devotee dies after sudden health emergency in Lalbaug Cha Raja darshan queue (File pic)

A 25-year-old man died while waiting in the queue for darshan at Lalbaugcha Raja in central Mumbai late on Thursday night during Ganeshotsav 2026. Police and medical officials indicating that he had suffered a sudden medical emergency rather than being injured in a crowd crush.

Jaideep Meghraj Nemade, a resident of Pune and originally from Jalgaon, had come to Mumbai with his friends to seek darshan at the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal. At around 11.40 pm on September 17, while standing in the queue, Nemade complained of feeling uneasy and having difficulty breathing.

Nemade suffered a severe cardiac episode

After informing his friends, he was taken out of the queue. Police personnel immediately responded and shifted him to a nearby help desk for medical assistance. As his condition appeared serious, he was subsequently moved by ambulance towards a hospital. However, doctors declared him dead before he could be admitted, according to officials.

Deceased Jaideep Meghraj Nemade (25) (Pic/Special arrangement)

Preliminary information suggests that Nemade suffered a severe cardiac episode. Police sources, however, said the exact cause of death would be established after the post-mortem report.

Nemade was a mechanical engineering graduate and had also completed an MBA. He was working in Pune. His family resides at Jeevanmoti Society on Shirsoli Road in Jalgaon. His father, Meghraj Subhash Nemade, runs Nemade Transport.

Nemade was the only son in the family. His mother had died around 12 years ago.

Following the post-mortem, his body was sent to Jalgaon. His last rites were performed on Saturday morning, September 19.

The incident comes amid the ongoing Ganeshotsav, when thousands of devotees have been visiting Lalbaugcha Raja. Police and organisers have been maintaining crowd-management and emergency-response arrangements at the venue.

Further details regarding Nemade's death are awaited pending the final medical findings.