Sunstroke at Maharashtra event: Death toll rises to 12

Thane: One more patient undergoing treatment after suffering from sunstroke at an award function in Navi Mumbai has died, taking the toll in the incident to 12, officials said on Monday. Earlier on Sunday, at least 11 people died due to sunstroke as the 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award function, attended by lakhs, was held in an open ground in Kharghar area of Maharashtra's Raigad district. Another 55-year-old person was also later declared dead, taking the toll to 12.

The deceased included nine women and three men. According to Panvel Municipal Corporation's Deputy Commissioner Vitthal Dake, the deceased have been identified as Mahesh Narayan Gaikar (42), Jayshree Jagannath Patil (54), Manjusha Krishna Bhombade (51), Swapnil Sadashiv Keni (30), Tulshiram Bhau Vangad (58), Kalavati Siddhram Vaychal (46), Bheema Krishna Salvi (58), Savita Sanjay Pawar (42), Pushpa Madan Gaikar (64), Vandana Jagannath Patil (62), Minaxi Mohan Mistry and Gulab Baban Patil (55). All the bodies have been identified and the post-mortem done by doctors.

The bodies have been handed over to their relatives for the final rites, Panvel Municipal Commissioner Ganesh Deshmukh said. Eight patients were undergoing treatment at the MGM Hospital in Kamothe while one person was being treated in another hospital. They were reported to be stable, Dake said. The remaining patients have been discharged, he added. An official release from Navi Mumbai police said during the function when children and women lay on roads seeking drinking water, a senior police inspector from Kharghar along with his team carried water for them.

Since three days, police personnel, including women, from across the state were deployed in and around the venue and they remained there even after the event despite the scorching sun, it said. Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe was on the ground throughout along with a number of senior officials. "There was no no stampede," the release said. Many women collapsed due to excessive heat and the policemen on duty drove them on motorbikes through the crowd to medical assistance centres for first aid and saved their lives, the release said. Lakhs of people had come for the event held on a 306-acre ground in Kharghar. The nearest weather station to the spot had recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius. Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Ajit Pawar has sought an inquiry into how the 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award event was organised in Navi Mumbai during noon time when the temperature is very high.

Union Minister Amit Shah on Sunday conferred the Maharashtra Bhushan Award on spiritual leader and social reformer Appasaheb Dharmadhikari at the event. Dharmadhikari has a massive following in the state due to his tree plantation drives, blood donation and medical camps as well as de-addiction work in tribal areas. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had termed the deaths "very unfortunate" and said the kin of the deceased will be given a compensation of Rs 5 lakh.