A 20-year-old boy was killed and at least 98 others were injured in “Dahi-handi”-related incidents, as mishaps marred the Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in the metropolis and neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts on Monday.

One Kush Avinash Khandare, a “Govinda” belonging to the Bal Gopal Mandal, collapased from the first layer of a “human pyramid” formed at Dharavi in north-central Mumbai. He was rushed to the nearby BMC-run LTMG Hospital at Sion, where he was declared dead before admission.

Official sources said that Khandare suffered from epilepsy while he was climbing up the “human pyramid”.

Till 9 pm, 87 revellers were injured in “Dahi-handi” incidents reported from different parts of the metropolis, while another 11 Govindas were injured in the neighbouring Thane city.

Of the injured, 49 were treated and allowed to go, while the remaining were undergoing treatment in various city hospitals, LTMG hospital, KEM Hospital, St George’s hospital, Rajawadi Hospital and Bhabha Hospital. Similarly, eleven persons injured in various “Dahi-handi” related incidents at Thane were admitted to district Civil and TMC-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Hospital at Kalwa.

The mishaps have over the years become a common feature during the Krishna Janmashtami celebrations, despite the height and age restrictions imposed by the Bombay High Court.

Last year, two persons had been killed and at least 120 others injured in “Dahi-handi”-related incidents in the metropolis and neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts. In 2016, as many At least 128 people were injured in “Dahi-handi”-related incidents in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane city

Undeterred by the height restrictions, many Govinda ventured and formed a nine-tier “human pyramids” equivalent to height of 40 ft. Govindas belonging to one such mandal formed a nine-tier “human pyramid” in the presence of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at Thane.

All major political parties --- the Shiv Sena, BJP, MNS, NCP and Congress -- -used the occasion to derive mileage out of the “Dahi-handi” events in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The “human pyramids” were formed at many places like Dadar, Worli, Kala chowki, Jogeshwari, Ghatkopar, Mulind, neighbouring Thane city, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai and Palghar district.

Like every year, there was considerable fervour and verve among the revellers. Slogans like “GovindaAla re... and” “Gvoinda re Gopala, Bol Bhajrang Bali ki jai, Go Go Govinda...” rent the air, as boisterous revellers-- better known as Govindas – climbed human pyramids to break the traditional “dahi-handis’.

These “dahi-handis” contain a mixture of milk, curd, dry fruits and prize money for Govindas break them. The ritual involving “dahi-handi” symbolises the manner in which young Krishna stole butter from an earthen pot suspended from the ceiling.

Film personalities like Raveena Tandon, Suniel Shetty and Varun Kapoor lent glamour to the festivities, by participating in “Dahi-handi” celebrations in their neighbourhood.

Devotees offered prayers, chanted hymns, rang bells and performed aartis to herald the birth Lord Krishna at the two ISKCON temples at Chowpatty and Juhu – at the stroke of Sunday-Monday midnight.

“Thousands of devotees prayed here. The temple is decorated with a Rajasthani theme, focus on completely eco-friendly celebrations, and offering 1008 items offered to Lord Krishna as ‘bhog’ today, prepared by over 500 volunteers,” ISKCON Radha Chowpatty head, Radhanath Swami said.

In 2016, the Maharashtra government had declared “Dahi handi” as an “adventurous sport”. However, following a submission made by the State government in response to a public interest litigation before it, a HC division bench had accepted the state government’s submission that it would not permit the children below the age of 14 years to take part in the dahi handi celebrations.

“This is the first year when Dahi-handi is being celebrated as a ‘sport’ event with the participation of around 1,000 registered organisations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR),” Bala Padelkar, the convenor of Dahi-Handi Celebrations Coordination Committee, said.

Notwithstanding the age restriction imposed by the Bombay High Court, children below 14 years were seen climbing up to the five, seven and nine-tier “human pyramids” “At most venues we saw the high court’s age restrictions being flouted by the Mandals. Children bellow 14 years were seen climbing up the human pyramid,” watchdog Lok Jagruti Samajik Sanstha President Swati Patil said.

One killed, 98 hurt in ‘Dahi-Handi’ mishaps in Maha