Dahi Handi celebrations: 245 Govindas injured in Mumbai, 15 in Thane

More than 200 Govindas or youngsters involved in forming human pyramids as part of the Dahi Handi celebrations were injured in Mumbai on Tuesday with 32 admitted to various hospitals the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC said on WednesdayA total of 245 Govindas suffered injuries While 32 revellers were admitted to various hospitals 213 others were discharged posttreatment the civic body saidEleven of them were admitted to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMCrun KEM Hospital four each at a medical facility in Rajawadi and Sion Hospital one at J J HospitalOther injured Govindas were admitted to the staterun Saint Georges Hospital in south Mumbai civicrun Trauma Care Hospital at Jogeshwari among other medical establishments the civic body addedThe Dahi Handi a part of the Janmashtami festival that marks the birth of Lord Krishna saw enthusiastic participation by revellers The festival was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety in Mumbai and other parts of the stateAs part of the Dahi Handi celebrations Govindas or Dahi Handi participants form multitiered human pyramids to break Dahi Handis clay pots filled with curd suspended midairCM Eknath Shinde attends a Dahi Handi event in ThaneMaharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde who attended a Dahi Handi event at Tembhi Naka in neighbouring Thane city said his mentor Anand Dighe had revitalised the festival bolstering traditions and community spiritHe noted that state administration had lifted restrictions imposed during the MVAs rule by allowing free and safe Dahi Handi celebrationsShinde assured that the government was taking comprehensive measures to ensure the safety and success of Dahi Handi eventsFifteen Govinda revellers sustained injuries while forming human pyramids till 10 PM on Tuesday in Thane cityDahi Handi in MumbaiSeveral prominent Govinda Pathaks groups tried to form nine and 10tier human pyramids at several locations in MumbaiIn the wake of cases of sexual assault reported in parts of Maharashtra and elsewhere several Govinda groups also displayed social messages on banners and posters while breaking Dahi Handis in Mumbai neighbouring Thane and other placesSeveral allwomen Govinda groups also tried to break Dahi HandisThe festivities caused traffic snarls in many areas of the city as Dahi Handis were hung at prominent intersections and junctions and haphazardly parked twowheelers and other vehicles belonging to Govinda groups added to the woesThe BEST diverted or shortterminated as many as 55 bus routes across the cityDahi Handis sponsored by politiciansDahi Handis sponsored by politicians in Mumbai and neighbouring areas were crowdpullers due to the presence of celebrities and entertainment programmes Besides this rewards running into lakhs of rupees were announced for these events to attract Govinda PathaksProminent politiciancumsponsors include BJP MLA Ram Kadam Ghatkopar Shiv Sena MLAs Prakash Surve Magathane and BJP leader Santosh Pande Parel in Mumbai while in Thane Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Tembhi Naka Shiv Sena leaders Pratap Sarnaik Vartak Nagar Ravindra Phatak Raghunath Nagar and MNS leader Avinash Jadhav Naupada hosted Dahi Handi celebrations eventsDuring a BJP leaders event at Jamboree Maidan in Worli a team of Govindas showcased a scene of the assassination of Afzal Khan by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by forming a fourtier pyramidSome politicians also tried to break Dahi Handis in MumbaiBJP leader Kirit Somaiya attempted to break a Dahi Handi by climbing a fourtier pyramid at Ghatkopar in the eastern suburbsThe beating of traditional drums and accompaniment of popular Bollywood songs at every nook and corner of the city kept the festive spirit high particularly in Mumbais Marathidominated pockets like Parel Lalbaug Worli Dadar Bhandup Mulund Goregaon and AndheriMore than 11000 police personnel were deployed for security and law and orderWith inputs from Agencies