Mumbai concert tragedy: Two dead after suspected MDMA use at Goregaon event

A latenight techno music concert at the NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon East turned fatal after two MBA students including a woman died and another remains critical allegedly after consuming suspected narcotic substances during the event on Saturday Police have arrested five people including two friends of the victims the event organiser and a NESCO staff member as investigations point to drug distribution underage alcohol access and multiple safety violations at the venueScreengrabs from Instagram videos show the crowd enjoying the concert at NESCO Exhibition Centre on Saturday night PicsBy Special ArrangementWhat is MDMAFull name Methylenedioxymethamphetamine MDMACommon names Ecstasy MollyType Synthetic psychoactive drugHow it affects the body Increases energy and alertness Produces euphoria and emotional warmth Alters sensory perception sound light touchHealth risks Dehydration and overheating Increased heart rate and blood pressure Nausea anxiety confusion Severe cases organ failure seizures deathWhy it is dangerous at concerts Crowded spaces and prolonged dancing increase dehydration risk Often consumed with alcohol compounding effects Unknown purity or mixing with other substancesVictimsDeceased Man 28 Woman 24Injured Woman 25 in ICUTimeline of eventsApril 11 930 PMGroup of 25 students from a reputed South Mumbai college attends ldquo999999999 Music Concertrdquo at NESCO Hall 05During eventYellow pill suspected MDMA allegedly distributed and consumed Victims continue dancingApril 12 1200ndash1230 AMBreathlessness dizziness and cramps reported230 AMTwo women admitted to Trauma Care Hospital Jogeshwari East Both unfit to record statements700 AMMan declared dead at Lifeline Hospital Goregaon WestLater on April 12One woman dies at Bombay HospitalOther remains criticalWhat the survivor said The injured woman stated she was given a ldquoyellow pillrdquo by her classmate Said the others also consumed a similar pill Group had attended together after booking passes online ldquoI do not remember what happened after thathellip when I last saw her the deceased woman she was fine and we were dancingrdquo the survivor said Identified substance as suspected Ecstasy MDMA seen at similar events beforeAccused arrested College student 25 allegedly gave drugs Vihan aka Akash Samal 31 event organiser Sunny Vinod Jain 31 NESCO event organisermanagement Balakrishnan Balram Kurup 46 internal security Another college student 24 ndash alleged supplierArrest date April 13 2026Custody 3 days police remandKey findings so far Drug consumed suspected to be MDMA Ecstasy Narcotics allegedly distributed inside the venue Event organisers failed to prevent drug use Alcohol was allegedly served to individuals below 25 without permits Event ran beyond permitted time till 1230 AM vs 1000 PM limitNESCO statementldquoWe extend our condolences to those affected We understand the seriousness of the situation and are extending our full cooperation to the concerned authorities in their ongoing investigation All relevant information and assistance are being provided to ensure that the facts are established at the earliest At this stage as the matter is under investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further We remain committed to supporting the authorities and upholding all safety and compliance standardsrdquo a NESCO spokesperson saidMobile phones worth lakhs were also stolen at Goregaon concertIn a case of theft reported during a highprofile music concert several mobile phones worth lakhs were allegedly stolen from attendees at the NESCO Centre in Goregaon EastAccording to the complaint filed at the Vanrai Police Station a 28yearold businessman residing at Malad West Mumbai attended a music concert at NESCO Warehouse Goregaon East on April 11 2026 The event held at Gate No 1 Hall No 5 witnessed a massive crowd of nearly 15000 peopleThe complainant stated that he reached the venue around 915 PM with his mobile phone in his possession However at approximately 940 PM he discovered that his phone which was kept in his pocket had gone missing Despite searching the area he could not locate the deviceDuring inquiries at the venue he came across other attendees from Chembur Pune Ulhas Nagar Kalyan Chinchookli Dindoshi and others who had also allegedly fallen victim to similar thefts during the concertPolice said that multiple highend smartphones including iPhone 17 iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Air models were allegedly stolen from the crowded concert venueThe total value of the stolen devices is estimated to be around Rs 340 lakhBased on the complaint an offence has been registered against unknown persons for theft The Vanrai Police have initiated an investigation and are reviewing CCTV footage from the venue to identify the accused