MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has lashed out at the Maharashtra government over the incident in which 11 people died of sunstroke after attending a public event of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. NCP leader and former deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who demanded an investigation into the incident, said that the incident was a government-sponsored disaster.

11 people died after attending the 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award ceremony in Navi Mumbai. Another 50 people were admitted to the hospital after falling ill due to the extreme heat. Sources said that a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius was recorded at the venue in Navi Mumbai. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had also attended the event. The event began at 11.30 am and lasted till 1 pm. Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that there lapse on the part of the government in planning the event.

Meanwhile, CM Eknath Shinde announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakhs for the kin of the deceased people. He also termed the deaths "very unfortunate."