At least eight tourists were seriously injured after a swarm of honey bees attacked visitors on Sinhagad Fort on Sunday, according to officials of the Pune forest department.
The injured tourists were initially taken to the primary health centre in Khanapur for immediate treatment; some were shifted to nearby multi-speciality hospitals depending on the severity of their injuries. Officials said that Nandkumar Gharge, 67, and a one-and-a-half-year-old child are among those seriously injured.
According to preliminary information, the incident occurred after a tourist allegedly threw a stone at a beehive near the samadhi area of Tanaji Malusare.
Manoj Barbole, Range officer with the Pune forest department, said that emergency measures were taken immediately to prevent further injuries.
“After learning about the incident, our team, along with members of the disaster management unit, reached the spot. Injured tourists were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. As a precautionary measure, vehicle movement on the Sinhagad Ghat road was temporarily stopped to avoid further disturbance and ensure safety,” Barbole said. He added that the situation was brought under control by around 6 pm.
Tanaji Bhosale from Haveli Aapatti Vyvasthapan, an organisation involved in rescue operations at forts across Pune district, said the incident took place between 2 pm and 2:30 pm.
“After we received information about the attack, I, along with my colleagues Sandip Tulaskar and Ganesh Sapkal, rushed to the spot. We helped move injured tourists into private vehicles and shifted them to nearby medical facilities. Some were taken to the Khanapur primary treatment centre while others were transported to hospitals in nearby areas,” Bhosale said.
