Two dead, 95 injured in Dahi Handi celebrations in Mumbai

Among the injured, 9-year-old Aryan Yadav in Kandivali suffered suspected brain injuries but regained consciousness.

MUMBAI: Despite heavy rains, Dahi Handi festivities on Saturday saw large turnouts across the city and Thane, but also left two people dead and 95 injured, including two in critical condition.

Mumbai, India - August 16, 2025: Family members and the two sons of Jagmohan Shivkiram Chaudgari hold up his photograph in grief. Jagmohan tragically lost his life while tying the Dahi Handi rope during festival preparations at Mankhurd in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, August 16, 2025. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

In Maharashtra Nagar, Mankhurd, Jagmohan Shivkiran Choudhari, 37, died after slipping while tying a handi to a first-floor balcony for children. A carpenter and father of two, Choudhari was rushed to Shatabdi Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police said he was not part of a Govinda troupe.

In Andheri, 14-year-old Rohan Mohan Valvi of Gaondevi Govinda Pathak collapsed inside a tempo before his group’s performance. A jaundice patient, he was taken to two hospitals before being declared dead at Rajawadi Hospital.

Among the injured, 9-year-old Aryan Yadav in Kandivali suffered suspected brain injuries but regained consciousness. At GT Hospital, 28-year-old Akshay Bandal was reported to have a brain haemorrhage and fractures and was later shifted to JJ Hospital.

By late evening, 76 of the injured had been discharged, while 19 remained admitted. Of the total, 51 were treated in island city hospitals, 31 in the eastern suburbs and 34 in the western suburbs.

In Thane, nine Govindas sustained injuries during celebrations. At Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, Kalwa, five were admitted with head, hand and shoulder injuries, while four were admitted to the District Government Hospital with fractures and bruises.

The injured were from Kalwa, Mumbra, Bhandup and Thane, belonging to local Govinda troupes as well as residents.