Eleven guests collapse and die of heatstroke at the crowded government awards ceremony held outside without shade during the 100 Fahrenheit heatwave in India.
- The award ceremony was held in Maharashtra, India, on Sunday, in an open field
- The government has now been accused of “negligence” in planning the event
Eleven guests collapsed and died of heatstroke in the 100 F (38 C) heat at a government-sponsored award ceremony in India.
The event, which took place in Maharashtra, India, saw hundreds of thousands of people gather in an open square to congratulate social activist Dattatreya Narayan Dharmadhikari.
It was attended by top politicians, including India’s Home Minister Amit Shah and leaders from the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
But the government was accused of “negligence” after 11 people died of heat stroke and hundreds more complained of dehydration and high blood pressure.
This comes after experts warned people to stay out of the sun during its peak hours from 11 am to 4 pm during the month of April, which is considered one of the hottest months in India.
The event (pictured), in Maharashtra, India, saw hundreds of thousands of people gather in an open field to congratulate social activist Dattatreya Narayan Dharmadhikari.
The government has been accused of “negligence” after 11 people died of heatstroke and hundreds more complained of dehydration and high blood pressure.
Former Prime Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the event was “not properly planned” and called for an investigation.
Congress spokesperson Atul Lundy Patel also accused the Maharashtra government of “negligence” and said people died because the event was held in April.
The chief minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, signed off on the “unexpected and painful” incident and announced £4,913 in compensation to the families of each of the deceased.
He also said that the government will provide free treatment to those who fell ill during the accident.
