Ganesh idol collapses in Mumbai, two dead, five injured

Two people were killed and five others, including two young girls, were injured when a massive Ganesh idol collapsed during a religious procession in south Mumbai on Saturday night. The incident occurred at approximately 9:51 p.m. on Balaram Merchant Road near Kabutarkhana at Jay Ambe Chowk in the Bhuleshwar area, civic officials said. The idol was part of the arrival ceremony for the revered Bhuleshwaracha Raja Ganpati, a central attraction of the local Ganeshotsav celebrations. According to preliminary reports, the collapse prompted an immediate response from multiple agencies. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai Fire Brigade, Mumbai Police, traffic police, the 108 emergency ambulance service, and local ward staff were mobilized to the scene. The injured were transported to nearby hospitals, including GT Hospital. Civic officials confirmed that two men, identified as Sanket Nevshe, 33, and Brijesh Hemant Joshi, 30, were declared dead upon arrival at the hospital. The five injured individuals were identified as Vaibhav Ghenand, 38, Pawan Chaurasiya, 25, Kunal Kashid, 26, and two minors, five-year-old Lavanya Ganer and seven-year-old Divya Ganer.