11 die of heatstroke at Indian award event
At least 11 people who sat in the open at an award event in India's Maharashtra on Sunday have died from dehydration and heatstroke.
Scores of others were hospitalised after attending the government-sponsored Maharashtra Bhushan award event at an open ground in Navi Mumbai on a blazing day, media reports, citing Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also went to a hospital where some 90 people have been admitted with heat-related health issues.
His office has confirmed 11 deaths while officials pegged the unconfirmed number at 13. Eight of the dead were women, mostly elderly.
Indian Home Minister Amit Shah presented the awards, instituted by the Maharashtra government, to social activist Dattatreya Narayan alias Appasaheb Dharmadhikari. The event was held at Navi Mumbai, where the day temperature was recorded at a maximum of 38 degrees Celsius.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde called the incident 'unfortunate' and announced a compensation of 5 lac rupees to the families of those who died.
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