Mahad Poisoning Shocker: Life Sentence for Accused!
• Vastu Feast Turns Fatal: Justice Delivered!
• Community Event Turns Deadly
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Team
In a shocking case that has shaken Maharashtra, the Panvel Sessions Court has sentenced the main accused in the Mahad food poisoning tragedy to life imprisonment. The Sprouts News Team reveals that the incident, which unfolded in Mahad — renowned as the site of the Varad Vinayak temple, one of the sacred Ashtavinayaks — exposed serious lapses in safety practices at community events in semi-urban redevelopment areas.
• Mass Food Poisoning: Fatal Vastu Shanti Feast; Urban Safety in Spotlight
On 18 June 2018, Subhash Ramchandra Mane hosted a Vastu Shanti ceremony at his residence in Mahad. What was meant to be a joyous occasion turned tragic when contaminated food led to the deaths of three children and two adults. Dozens more were hospitalized with severe symptoms like vomiting, dizziness, and dehydration.
While initially treated as an unfortunate accident, growing suspicions led Khalapur (Raigad district) Police — under the newly appointed Inspector Vishvajeet Kaingade — to launch an intensive probe. Quick medical responses by Dr. Ranjit Mohite and critical care at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, Kamothe, saved many lives. However, despite all efforts, five people, including 7-year-old Kalyani Shingude and 53-year-old Gopinath Napure, tragically lost their lives.
• Sprouts News Investigation: Crime, Not Misfortune
Investigations revealed that the mass poisoning was not accidental but a planned act of revenge. Pragya alias Jyoti Suresh Survase, a relative of the Mane family, confessed to deliberately mixing a pesticide-like substance, Forate, into the dal served during the feast. The motive: retaliation for alleged domestic harassment. Police later recovered leftover poison from Survase’s home near Zenith Waterfalls.
The Panvel Sessions Court found Pragya Survase guilty under IPC Sections 302 and 307, awarding her life imprisonment along with ₹25,000 fines for each charge. She was also convicted under IPC Section 328, resulting in an additional 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of ₹25,000.
The Sprouts News Team emphasizes that this tragic case spotlights the urgent need for stricter food safety and event regulations, especially in densely populated housing societies and semi-urban areas.
Also Read: ICICI Bank Fraud Allegations Shake Mumbai to the Core.
• Mass Food Poisoning: Justice Delivered; Persistent Police Work Pays Off
The conviction was made possible thanks to the relentless efforts of Inspector Vishvajeet Kaingade, PSI Ambika Andhare, and Constables Nitin Shedge and Hemant Kokate. Government advocate C.Y. Patil built a strong case, while Constable Pansare served as the liaison officer.
Notably, around the same time, Khalapur police, led by the same team, successfully arrested Mumbai Police constable Tejas Gurav in a separate murder case — resulting in another life sentence.
• Mass Food Poisoning: Demand for Stronger Community Safety Norms
The Mahad mass poisoning incident, as uncovered by the Sprouts News Team, sends a strong warning across urban Maharashtra. Experts now call for better vigilance, improved food inspection protocols, and stricter community event monitoring to prevent such tragedies and maintain public trust in growing semi-urban developments.