The Raigad district disaster management cell had taken into account the sunstroke possibility at the Navi Mumbai event on Sunday and made arrangements but as water in tankers and taps became hot due to heat, many attendees couldn't quench their thirst and suffered dehydration, officials said on Monday.
At least 13 people died of sunstroke after attending the program held in an open ground in Kharghar area in Raigad district where social worker Appasaheb Dharmadhikari was conferred with the Maharashtra Bhushan award by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
"The Raigad district administration and Navi Mumbai Police had made adequate arrangements anticipating the arrival of 20 lakh people. Actually, 8 to 10 lakh people attended the event," an official said. He said several people had arrived a day before the ceremony from various parts of the state.
"The followers of Dharmadhikari were sitting in the open ground for hours since Sunday morning and many might have not drunk sufficient water thinking they might lose their place offering a better view of the ceremony," he said. After the function concluded, people rushed towards tankers and water taps but the water had become hot due to heat.
"It seems many people couldn't drink adequate water immediately which might have caused dehydration," the official added. The official said usual aspects related to security including a terror attack, sabotage and the possibility of untoward incidents were taken into consideration and more than 3,500 police personnel were deployed at the spot.
"We had anticipated the arrival of a large number of followers in private vehicles and buses from all corners of the state and provided separate parking facilities at various places nearby the corporate park. Due to the presence of union home minister Amit Shah, the use of drones was restricted at the function," he added.
An official release from Navi Mumbai police had said children and women lay on roads seeking drinking water during the function, following which a senior police inspector from Kharghar along with his team carried water for them.
Many women collapsed due to excessive heat and the policemen on duty drove them on motorbikes through the crowd to medical assistance centres for first aid and saved their lives, the release said.
Lakhs of people had come for the event held on a 306-acre ground in Kharghar. The nearest weather station to the spot had recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius.
