Ganpati visarjan: Two dead, 44 injured as 41,000 idols immersed in Mumbai

Procession of Lalbaugcha Raja on Sunday. (Express photo by Prashant Nadkar)

ONE PERSON drowned in Bhandup and another was killed in a road accident at Ghatkopar during Ganpati immersion on Sunday. Also, at least 44 people sustained injuries during the visarjan processions across Mumbai. Between Sunday and the wee hours of Monday, 41,828 immersions had taken place in Mumbai.

Yadnesh Malekar (32) drowned late Sunday as he entered the Bhundupeshwar Kund for immersion. He was declared dead at Fortis Hospital at 2.50 am on Monday. Disaster management cell officials said Malekar was rescued by a life-guard, after he went deep into the lake to immerse the idol. He was later rushed to hospital by local residents.

In another incident, Amit Verma (24) succumbed to a head injury in Ghatkopar after a motorcycle hit him while he was dancing on the road with an immersion procession. “By the time he was brought to the hospital, he had passed away,” said Dr Vidya Thakur, Medical Superintendent of Rajawadi Hospital.

Devotees take Ganpati idols for immersion at Girgaum Chowpatty. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)

In Charkop, 17 people required hospitalisation after a large Ganesh idol fell on them. The injured were taken to Oscar Hospital in Charkop. Doctors said all are stable and were discharged by Monday. Zonal DCP Sangramsingh Nishandar said that two of the injured had sustained fractures.

In Powai, a part of a crane along with a Ganesh idol fell on two local residents. “They suffered minor injuries,” said Thakur, adding that 20 others were brought to Rajawadi Hospital after they suffered injuries in separate incidents during Ganpati immersion. “They had sustained abrasions due to falls. Some had been pushed around in crowd.”

In another incident, five people, including three minors, were rescued off Girgaum Chowpatty after their boat capsized. The children, Avani (5), Adnan Khan (15) and Anita (16), are stable. They were accompanied by Kajal Meyor (31) and Nilesh Bhoir (18) when their boat overturned. “They are stable, we will be observing them for a day. One of them has been put in surgery ward,” said a senior doctor from Nair hospital, where the five remain admitted.