10 injured in honeybee attack near Shivneri Fort

Pune: Ten people were injured in a honeybee attack at Shivneri Fort in Junnar, about 120km from the city, on Wednesday afternoon. The victims received on-site medical aid and were discharged, according to forest officials.The incident occurred near Kade Lote, about 500 metres from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's birthplace. A crowd of over 50,000 people had gathered there for his birth anniversary celebrations.Range forest officer Pradip Chavan said, "Forest guards very vigilantly intervened in the situation. They instructed the victims to stay calm and avoid running in order to prevent chaos and injuries."The Apis dorsata bees, known for their aggressive defence, typically build nests on trees and cliffs. "Spanning over 150 hectares, Shivneri Fort has multiple bee hives. We couldn't find out what triggered the attack. Rising temperatures could be a possible factor. Similar incidents have occurred in the past numerous times. We have installed warning signs but preventing such incidents entirely is difficult," added Chavan.At least 20 picnickers suffered injuries last year in October after they were stung by a swarm of bees on Rajgad Fort. In an attempt to save themselves from the bees, three tourists jumped into the bushes. They were later rescued by other tourists and a team from the Archaeological Survey of India on the fort.In 2023, multiple tourists were stung by honeybees on Sinhagad Fort.
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