Pune: 45 Injured in Bee Attack at Shivneri Fort on Sunday
At least 46 people were injured in a bee attack at Shivneri Fort in Junnar on Sunday morning, March 16, 2025, while marking the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Authorities confirmed that most injuries were minor, with only one person requiring hospital admission, according to assistant sub-inspector Kailas Kendre of Junnar police.
This was the second such incident within a month at the popular fort, located about 120 km from Pune. On February 19, at least 10 people were injured in a similar bee attack during Shiv Jayanti celebrations, which saw around 50,000 visitors at the fort.
The latest attack occurred near the Shivai Temple, a few meters away from the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Teams from the state forest department and Junnar ResQ swiftly responded, assisting the injured in reaching the foothills of the fort and transporting them to the government hospital in Junnar for treatment.
Rupesh Jagtap from Junnar ResQ stated that a large number of visitors from various parts of Maharashtra, including Raigad, Ratnagiri, Pune, Thane, Dhule, and Mumbai, had gathered at the fort early on Sunday for the birth anniversary celebrations on March 17. A clean-up drive, organized by Ahmednagar MP Nilesh Lanke, had also taken place at the fort a day prior.
Jagtap explained that the site is known to have two large hives of Apis dorsata bees, known for their aggressive defense of their habitat. “One of the injured mentioned that someone may have hurled stones at the hives, disturbing the bees. Additionally, smoke from the Shivjyots (torches) carried by visitors likely triggered the attack, which occurred around 9 am,” he said.
The attack caused panic, with people running in all directions. Junnar ResQ reached the spot within 10 minutes and coordinated with government and private emergency services to bring ambulances to the foothills. Among the injured were children, and the rescue team faced challenges evacuating them due to limited resources.
Sanket Bombale, a member of Junnar ResQ, shared that the team had only one stretcher and had to carry some injured individuals on their backs. Three rescuers also sustained injuries during the evacuation. MP Nilesh Lanke’s organization, which conducted the clean-up drive, provided additional assistance, and Lanke later visited the hospital to check on the injured.
Apis dorsata bees typically build nests on trees and cliff overhangs, often at high elevations. Despite warning signs installed at multiple spots within the 150-hectare Shivneri Fort complex, bee attacks remain a recurring issue.
