Around 60 people were injured when a swarm of bees attacked tourists at Shivneri Fort in Pune, Maharashtra, on Sunday, March 16, according to a report by news agency PTI, citing a forest official. Out of the 60 injured, 50 were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The incident occurred near the Shivai temple at the fort. According to eyewitnesses, a group of youths threw stones at a beehive, provoking the bees and causing the attack. Pradip Chavan, the Range Forest Officer from Junnar, confirmed that all 60 visitors were stung, with 50 requiring hospital care. However, Chavan assured that all the injured were out of danger and were later discharged.
This incident follows a similar attack on February 19, during the birth anniversary celebrations of Shivaji Maharaj, when 10 people were injured by a bee swarm. Shivneri Fort, located in Junnar tehsil, is a historic 17th-century military stronghold and the birthplace of Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The fort features statues of Shivaji and his mother, Jijabai, as well as a central water pond known as ‘Badami Talav’.