Several Dead During Immersion of Ganesh Idols in Maharashtra

Mumbai: At least 20 persons have died during the immersion of Ganesh idols in parts of Maharashtra, police said on Saturday. According to the police, 14 people died due to drowning that occurred during the immersion of Ganesh idols in the state. The 10-day Ganesh festival, which had started on August 31, ended on Friday.

In Thane, a 55-year-old woman was killed and four others injured after a tree collapsed on a Ganesh pandal in Kolbad area amid rains. The incident occurred on Friday night, a civic official said. 

''A huge tree fell on the pandal while the aarti of the Lord Ganesh was going on as part of the immersion of the idol. The woman, Rajashri Walavalkar, was seriously injured in the mishap. All of them were rushed to a hospital, where she was declared brought dead,'' the official said.

In Wardha district three persons drowned at Sawangi, while another one drowned at Devli, an official said. Two persons drowned in a pond in Yavatmal district when they went for immersion of idols, an official said.

In Ahmednagar district, two persons died of drowning in separate incidents at Supa and Belvandi, he said, adding that two others died in Jalgaon district of north Maharashtra.

One each died in Pune's rural part, Dhule, Satara and Solapur city, he said. Four persons died in a road accident at Sakkardara area of Nagpur city during Ganesh immersion, an official said.

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Meanwhile, at least 11 persons, including a nine-year-old girl, were injured after suffering an electric shock at Panvel in Raigad district during a procession. The incident took place on Friday evening at Vadghar Koliwada after a cable of an electric generator snapped, an official said.

''At least 11 persons who were part of the procession came into contact with the cable and sustained injuries. The injured include four children,'' he said.