- Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut alleged that at least 50 to 75 people who attended the Maharashtra Bhushan Award ceremony in Mumbai’s Kharghar died after suffering heat stroke.
- State government is trying to hide numbers, figuring that only 14 people, who attended the event, died.
- Raut backed Maharashtra Congress president’s demand for a special two-day session of the state legislature to discuss the tragedy.
- Leaders of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, in turn, accused him of spreading misinformation and filed a police complaint against him.
Even as the death toll due to sunstroke at an award function in Navi Mumbai stood at 14 as per the official figure, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday claimed that 50 to 75 people have died in the tragedy. The Shinde government in the state was hiding the real death toll, Raut alleged.
Talking to reporters Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut said workers of his party from Uran, Shrivardhan, Roha and Mangaon talukas in Raigad district told him that the actual number of people who died at the Kharghar event was bigger than the official figure.
Officials have said that 14 people died after suffering from sunstroke during the Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony held in Kharghar area of Raigad district neighbouring Mumbai. Leaders of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, in turn, accused him of spreading misinformation and filed a police complaint against him.
The function was held in an open ground and was attended by several lakh people, most of them followers of social worker Appasaheb Dharmadhikari, who was conferred with the Maharashtra Bhushan award by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the event.
Accusing the state government of hiding the real number of fatalities, Raut said, “If you look at the total figure from all the villages (from the talukas in Raigad) then minimum 50 and maximum 75 people have died. ‘Khoke sarkar’s people reached their homes and suppressed the voice of family members.
Raut backed Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole’s demand for a special two-day session of the state legislature to discuss the tragedy. Opposition parties have blasted the Shinde government over the deaths, accusing it of mismanagement. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajit Pawar has sought an inquiry into why the award event was organised around noon. Raut had demanded that CM Shinde be booked for culpable homicide.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Shinde group) leaders filed a complaint at Marine Drive Police station in south Mumbai against Raut for his `false’ claim about 50 to 75 deaths during the event.
