Kharghar tragedy: 9 women among 13 dead at Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony; all victims identified

Navi Mumbai: A total of 13 persons (Sri Members) who died during the Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony, held on 16th April 2023 at Kharghar have been identified, said Raigad district administration. A large number of attendees at the award ceremony suffered from heat stroke, many of them requiring hospitalisation.

13 people included 9 women & 4 men

However, a total of 13 Sri members, 9 women, and 4 men, died. At present, 12 persons have been admitted to different hospitals and are undergoing necessary treatment and 35 persons have been discharged after treatment.

Details on the deceased

All these deceased have been identified and their names are Tulshiram Bhau Wagad, Jayshree Jagannath Patil, Mahesh Narayan Gaikar, Kalavati Siddharam Vaichal, Manjusha Krishna Bhombd,  Bhima Krishna Salvi, Savita Sanjay Pawar, Swapnil Sadashiv Keni, Pushpa Madan Gaykar, Vandana Jagannath Patil, Meenakshi Mohan Mistry, Gulab Baban Patil and Vinayak Haldankar.

Government blames victims

However, Raigad collector Yogesh Mhase has said that most of those who perished after being subjected to the scorching sun at the Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony in Kharghar on Sunday had comorbidities.

Clearly, the government is trying to shift the blame on the victims. More than Rs 13.62 crore were spent on the event, but no thought was spared for the lakhs of people who would be forced to sit in an open ground, with the sun fiercely beating down on them.

The venue of the event was on open ground, with no sheds or tents for the followers of social activist Dattatreya Narayan Dharmadhikari (77), who was the recipient of the Maharashtra Bhushan award. Those on the dais not only had a pandal, but also stand fans, to protect them from the heat.