Pune: A swarm of bees attacked over 40 tourists and devotees at Shivneri Fort on Sunday morning (March 16), injuring three people severely. The incident occurred at around 8:30 AM near the Shivai Devi Temple, where a large crowd had gathered for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti celebrations.
The rising heat had caused a significant increase in bee activity at the fort. Due to safety concerns, the forest department had restricted entry to the fort from 9 AM onwards. However, before the restriction was implemented, a sudden bee attack left many visitors injured.
Since Sunday was a holiday and the next day marked the traditional Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti celebrations, a large number of followers and tourists had visited the fort to pay homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Many of them were carrying the ceremonial Shivjyoti (sacred flame) as part of the celebrations. At around 8:30 AM, bees swarmed near the Shivai Devi Temple and launched an attack, creating panic among visitors. Several tourists suffered multiple stings, with three individuals sustaining severe injuries.
Following the attack, some injured individuals were temporarily sheltered inside the temple. Forest department officials, trainees from Chandrapur Training Center, local villagers, and members of the Junnar Rescue Team worked together to transport the injured to the base of the fort. They were then taken to Junnar Government Hospital for treatment.
Upon receiving information, several officials, including Junnar’s Forest Range Officer Pradeep Chavan, Police Inspector Kiran Avchar, Forest Officers Nitin Vidhate, Prakash Tajane, Rajendra Bhagat, Sandeep Duraphe, along with Sarpanch Dattatray Tajane and Ramesh Kharmale, arrived at the scene and worked to control the situation. As a precaution, hundreds of incoming tourists were stopped at the base of the fort, and devotees carrying the Shivjyoti were requested to offer prayers at the flame's resting place instead of proceeding further.
Shivneri Fort is home to several large beehives, attached to trees and rock crevices across all four sides of the fort. With summer temperatures rising, bee activity has increased significantly, making the area more prone to such attacks. Additionally, certain actions by visitors—deliberate or unintentional—have reportedly contributed to increased aggression from bees. With school vacations approaching next month, a large number of children, women, and tourists are expected to visit the fort.