Overview

• Mumbai’s disaster management department recorded 318 Govindas injured this year, up from 246 in 2024, with 294 discharged and 24 still receiving treatment, including two in critical condition.
• Two bystanders, including a minor, died during the festivities, though neither was participating in the pyramid formations.
• Authorities have attributed the spike in injuries to heavy downpours, overcrowded viewing areas and celebrity appearances at major handis.
• FIRs have been filed following the Aug. 11 rehearsal death of 11-year-old Mahesh Jadhav, and city agencies are investigating reports of missing helmets and other safety equipment.
• Despite July’s expansion of coverage to 150,000 Govindas under a tiered insurance scheme, many smaller mandals remain unenrolled and face administrative hurdles.