Pune: A honeybee attack on tourists at Sinhagad Fort led to a young man losing consciousness on Sunday (February 9) evening. The incident, which occurred at 4:30 PM, saw a swarm of bees attacking a group of four to five tourists. Locals and fellow tourists immediately rescued the injured man and brought him to the parking area, from where he was rushed to a private hospital in Khadakwasla.

The victim has been identified as Ashish Bhat (28, resident of Baner). According to Haveli Police Station Officer Santosh Todkar, he collapsed after multiple bee stings and required urgent medical attention.

Local residents Amol Padher (former deputy sarpanch), Nitin Padher, Pawan Jorkar, Omkar Padher, Harshad Gaikwad, and Rakesh Panhalkar joined forces with tourists to help the injured man. Some other tourists, who were near Kalyan Darwaza, panicked and ran, removing their shirts in an attempt to escape the bees.

According to Swapnil Sambare, an Archaeology Department guard, the attack was triggered when someone threw a stone at a beehive. As the bees became aggressive, some tourists managed to flee, while others needed assistance.

A jeep driver was requested to transport the unconscious tourist to a hospital, said Sandeep Dhamdhere, a tourist present at the scene. Upon receiving the emergency report, forest guard Samadhan Patil at the parking area blocked other tourists from heading toward the fort, preventing further incidents.

There are four to five beehives near Kalyan Darwaza and the parking area, posing a risk to visitors. Last month, a hive was also found near the memorial of Narveer Subhedar Tanaji Malusare, which the Forest Department later relocated, said Dattatreya Jorkar, former president of the Sambarewadi Forest Protection Committee.