For 33-year-old Brijesh Joshi, Saturday night was supposed to be a special evening as preparations for the upcoming Ganeshotsav festival got underway. Instead, he was trapped under the rubble of a 22-foot Ganpati idol that collapsed onto a crowd at Jay Ambe Chowk in Bhuleshwar, leaving behind a two-year-old son.The other victim, 30-year-old Sanket Nevshe, a businessman and Shiv Sena subdivision head in Colaba, was closely involved in organising the local Ganpati celebrations. He was also the head of Bhuleshwar Cha Raja Ganpati Mandal and, according to residents, was at the forefront of preparations for this year’s festival.The two were killed after the Plaster of Paris (PoP) idol collapsed around 9.51 pm on Saturday. Five others, including two children, sustained minor injuries.For Joshi’s family, the loss has been particularly devastating. His brother Jay Joshi said Brijesh was the family’s sole source of income. Relatives and friends attend the funeral of Sanket Nevshe at Girgaon Cremation Centre, who was killed in the Ganesh idol collapse incident in Bhuleshwar. (Express Photo By Ganesh Shirsekar)“We are deeply disturbed by the incident. My brother worked in a private firm and was the sole breadwinner. His two-year-old son is asking where he is, and we are unable to answer this question. We demand compensation as his son needs to have a better future,” he said.“It took us 1-2 hours to remove him from the rubble. If help had arrived sooner, he might have been saved,” he added.Vasant Chavan, a neighbour, said the narrow road delayed the ambulance.Story continues below this ad“My grandson heard a cracking sound and jumped from the trolley on which the Ganpati was placed. Joshi was pushing the trolley, and hence he could not be saved,” Chavan said.Nevshe, meanwhile, was a familiar face in the neighbourhood and among those involved in organising the celebrations. Shivram Bhoir, who worked with the mandal, said this year’s theme was based on Khmer Ganpati in Cambodia, with a turtle and dragon forming part of the design. Nevshe, whose father died several years ago, is survived by his mother and sister.“He was always ready to help. His mother was going to find a bride for him,” said Prathmesh Ghole, a resident of Jay Ambe Chowk.The victims remained trapped under the idol for nearly two hours, residents said. Locals eventually had to cut through the idol to rescue them.Story continues below this adThe Lokmanya Tilak Marg police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and are investigating the cause of the collapse.“The idol had left the Byculla workshop and was merely 50 metres away from its destination when the incident took place. An eyewitness said he heard a cracking sound, following which the idol collapsed,” a senior official told The Indian Express.“We suspect that the idol was attached to an iron rod and the rod collapsed due to improper welding,” a police officer said.Vaibhav Ghenand, 38, Pawan Chaurasiya, 25, Kunal Kashid, 26, Lavanya Ganer, 5, and Divya Ganer, 7, sustained injuries and were taken to civic-run hospitals. They are reported to be stable.Story continues below this adState Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar on Sunday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to inspect routes used for transporting idols across Mumbai within 24 hours and ensure immediate repairs and safety measures.Shelar also called for closer coordination between Ganesh mandals, the civic administration and police to prevent similar accidents during Ganeshotsav preparations.Shelar visited the Bhuleshwar Cha Raja Ganesh Mandal office-bearers and offered condolences to the families of the deceased. He later paid his last respects to their mortal remains at Chandanwadi Crematorium. Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha was also present.“Determining who was at fault and what exactly caused the accident is a matter for the inquiry. The police are investigating the case and should be allowed to carry out their work. All aspects of the incident will become clear through the inquiry,” Shelar said while speaking to reporters.Story continues below this adHe, however, asked Ganesh mandals to exercise greater caution while transporting idols, particularly with regard to the trolleys used, wheel design, iron components and vibrations during movement.Shelar also announced that the government would provide financial assistance to the families of the deceased and support hospitals treating those injured. He announced personal assistance of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of Nevshe and Joshi and Rs 1 lakh each for those injured in the accident.