Saturday, August 22, 2026 - Two people were killed and five others, including two children, were injured after a huge 22-foot Ganpati idol collapsed during an arrival procession in Mumbai’s Bhuleshwar area late Saturday night.
The incident happened at around 9:50 p.m. near Jay Ambe Chowk as the idol of ‘Bhuleshwaracha Raja’ was being taken to its pandal. Emergency teams rushed the victims to nearby hospitals, where two were later declared dead.
The victims who died were identified as Sanket Nevshe, 33, president of the Bhuleshwaracha Raja Ganesh Mandal, and Brijesh Hemant Joshi, 30. The five injured include Vaibhav Ghenand, 38, Pawan Chaurasiya, 25, Kunal Kashid, 26, and two girls aged five and seven.
Their condition was reported to be stable. A preliminary police investigation indicated that a welding support at the back of the idol broke, causing the structure to collapse toward the crowd.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over Mumbai’s upcoming Ganeshotsav celebrations, with authorities now facing renewed questions over the safety of massive idols and crowded procession routes.
Firefighters, police, ambulances and civic teams responded quickly after the collapse, while investigators continued examining how the structure failed. The incident comes just weeks before the 10-day Ganeshotsav festival is due to begin on September 14, making safety measures around large public processions an urgent concern.
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