Dahi Handi: 2 dead, 100+ injured in Mumbai, Pune

At least two people were killed and more than 100 injured during Dahi Handi celebrations across Mumbai and Pune on Saturday, September 5, 2026, as festivities marking the Hindu festival of Janmashtami were marred by tragic accidents. The deaths included a seven-year-old boy in Mumbai and a 45-year-old woman in Pune, while over 130 participants, known as Govindas, sustained injuries while forming human pyramids. The most severe incident in Mumbai occurred at approximately 3:01 p.m. in the Malad West area. A seven-year-old boy, identified as Rudra Kadam, died after a brick column of a ground-floor structure collapsed on him during a Dahi Handi celebration at the Ekta Welfare Society in Chikuwadi, Malvani. According to preliminary information from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a group of children had organized the celebration on their own. The rope holding the Dahi Handi pot had been tied between a tree and a brick column supporting the structure. As the children attempted to break the pot, the column gave way under pressure and collapsed, striking the boy in the head. He was rushed to Malvani General Hospital, where he was declared dead upon arrival.