A festive rehearsal turned into a tragedy in Dahisar late Sunday night when labourer couple Sangeeta and Ramesh Jadhav lost their eldest son during a practice session for the upcoming Dahi Handi festival. The 11-year-old, a member of the Navtarun Mitra Mandal, reportedly fell during the formation of a human pyramid in the Ketkipada area and succumbed to his injuries on the spot.

Police said the boy had climbed the top tier of the human pyramid — the sixth layer — when he lost balance and fell directly to the ground, hurting his head severely. He was rushed to Bhagwati Hospital in Borivali West, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

“The preliminary postmortem report stated that natural head injuries were the reason for his death,” said Senior Police Inspector Sarje Rao Patil of Dahisar police station. An accidental death report has been filed and the organising group is being questioned about the safety measures taken.