T20 World Cup Victory Parade: 9 admitted to GT Hospital after experiencing breathing problems

Mumbai: A significant crowd gathered along the route of the victory parade for the Indian cricket team, celebrating their T-20 World Cup win in South Mumbai, resulting in at least 11 individuals being rushed to hospitals, an official said on Friday.

Nine were admitted to the state-run GT Hospital for suffering injuries or complaining of breathing difficulties due to excessive crowding. They are now in a stable condition, said the dean of JJ Group of Hospitals.

According to a PTI report, officials said one fan was taken to the government-run St George’s Hospital near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and was allowed to go after primary care. Another person was taken to a private hospital in south Mumbai and discharged after treatment. 

Police deployed a large number of personnel and made elaborate security arrangements between Marine Drive and Wankhede Stadium to avoid any untoward incident.

An eyewitness, Ravi Solanki shared his experience with ANI and said, “I was coming from the office and came to know that the Indian team would reach here between 5 pm-6 pm which did not happen. The crowd progressively swelled. The police were not managing the situation. People suddenly started shouting, after which some people fell on each other. It was very unorganised. There was nobody to manage. The incident happened between 8.15-8.45 pm.”  

Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar appreciated his force for effectively managing the crowd during the victory parade.

“A special appreciation to all my officers & staff of @MumbaiPolice for the exceptional crowd management at Marine Drive today amid the rains,” Phansalkar wrote in his official X handle.

“We made sure it remains a special moment for our Champions & the fans. Also thank you Mumbaikars, for your cooperation. We made it happen together!,” he added in the post, news agency PTI reported.