Thane boy battles for life after dahi handi fall

When 12-year-old Sujal Ghatatkar from Ulhasnagar in Thane climbed on to the shoulder of another and reached the sixth tier of the human pyramid, he broke two rules. One, the height restriction set by the Supreme Court and second, that minors can't be part of the human pyramid.

Currently on ventilator in the ICU of Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, Sujal has paid dearly for his mistake. Losing his balance when the boy fell, he sustained serious head injuries, among others.

Immediately after the accident, Sujal was rushed to the hospital where he was admitted to the ICU.

His father Umesh, a fisherman, lamented, "I had told him to stay away from the dahi handi... but he has been participating for the last few years and didn't want to skip it."

Dr Ashok Borisa, laparoscopic surgeon at the hospital, said, "He is clinically stable and in a neurologically better state. He is on the ventilator and is being monitored round the clock."

The dahi handi in which Suraj participated was reportedly organised by the local wing of Shiv Sena.

"We have taken action. Case has been registered against the organisers on whose name permission was sought and the Ganesh mandal. They have been booked under various sections of the IPC, including 308 (attempt to culpable homicide)," said Sunil Bhardwaj, deputy commissioner, Zone IV, Thane police.

Meanwhile, the condition of 9-year-old Dhiraj Male, who also suffered head injuries after a fall at dahi handi, is stable, said sources at Shatabdi Hospital, Kandivli.