11 die of heatstroke at Maharashtra Bhushan Award ceremony

At least 11 people died due to heat stroke after standing under the sun for hours during the Maharashtra Bhushan Award ceremony held in Navi Mumbai's Kharghar.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced Rs 5 lakh exgratia to the kin of the deceased. He went to the hospital where over 120 people were admitted due to heat-related health issues, like dehydration, due exposure to sunlight.

The event was held in Navi Mumbai to present the Maharashtra Bhushan Award to social activist Dattatreya Narayan alias Appasaheb Dharmadhikari who was honoured with the award by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The event, which was held on a sprawling 306-acre ground in Kharghar, began around 11.30 am and went on till around 1 pm.

The nearest weather station to the spot of the event recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius.

The temperature of Navi Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degree Celsius.

"A total of 123 people complained of heat-related health ailments, like dehydration during the event. They were immediately referred to the 30 medical booths set up at the venue. Thirteen of the patients, who needed further treatment, were shifted to different private hospitals and the condition of one of them is serious," PTI quoted a revenue department official.

"A total of 30 doctors were deployed at the medical booths that had intensive care unit (ICU) facilities to treat people at the venue," she said.

Suraj Chavan, Working President of Maharastra State Nationalist Youth Congress, slammed the Maharashtra government over the incident and tweeted, "By keeping the Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony in the sun, it is believed that some innocent people have died and many people have died due to the negligence of the government. This is a case of culpable homicide by the government."

The event was also attended by Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis as well.

NCP Spokesperson Clyde Crasto questioned why the event was held in the open when the temperatures were soaring so high. He tweeted, "News of lives lost due to heat after attending the 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award program organised by the incumbent Maharashtra government in Kharghar is disturbing. With day temperatures soaring so high, why was this function held in the open? CM Eknath Shinde ji owes an answer."