Pune, February 19 2026: Celebrations at Shivneri Fort for the 396th birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj took an alarming turn late Thursday night, when a large gathering of devotees experienced Overcrowding at Shiv Janmasthan atop Shivneri Fort in Junnar, Pune, led to injuries among devotees. One devotee slipping caused a chain reaction on the stairs, resulting in three individuals sustaining injuries.
Thousands of devotees had arrived from across Maharashtra to mark the occasion & celebrate Shiv Jayanti. Around midnight, a dense crowd gathered at the narrow passage between Hatti Darwaza and Ganesh Darwaza in the Ambarkhana area. Preliminary reports indicate that the limited space and surge of attendees led to a chaotic situation.
According to initial information, police presence at the site was insufficient to manage the crowd effectively. Local volunteers and administrative personnel quickly assisted the injured, who were transported to nearby hospitals in Junnar and Manchar for treatment. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported, although some sustained serious injuries.
The fort, illuminated with electric lights and saffron decorations, echoed with chants of “Jai Jijau, Jai Shivarai” as devotees commemorated Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy. However, the incident calls for the need for enhanced crowd management measures during large-scale events.
Pune Rural Police later clarified that the incident occurred when a person slipped while the Shivjyot was being brought down from the fort, causing two others nearby to lose their balance. “A crowded situation arose for a brief period, but there was no stampede,” officials said.