The pond that swallowed Rohit had been sealed after midnight, yet workers still entered it. Four of the five artificial immersion pits at Shyam Nagar Lake were shut early Sunday. The remaining pit had been closed since 10 pm, but the contractor's crew ignored the barricades. BMC official Shilpa Deshmukh said the worker was appointed by the firm.
Rohit Bhimu Rathod was rushed to the civic‑run Trauma Care Hospital at Rajendra Nagar. He was declared dead within minutes of arrival. The hospital's registrar, Dr. Nandini Rao, confirmed the fatal electric shock.
Assistant Commissioner Rajendra Gupta said the five ponds were part of a government contract to facilitate safe immersion. The contractor, GMS Engineers, had assumed responsibility for the maintenance of the closed ponds. Gupta warned that any breach of safety regulations could lead to penalties.
Earlier that morning, a queue for darshan at a Ganesh pandal in Lalbaug turned deadly. An eight‑year‑old girl and another person died, and at least four others were injured from an electric shock. The incident raised alarms about safety measures at public immersion sites.
The death makes it the second electrocution in Mumbai this Sunday, sparking calls for stricter enforcement of safety protocols. The municipal corporation plans to conduct a full audit of all immersion pits before the next festival. Rohit’s mother, Meena Rathod, said she cannot fathom why a 19‑year‑old was left to risk his life.