Survivors recall moments leading up to Maha Kumbh stampede

Stampede occurred at mela ground when an overwhelming crowd surged towards Triveni Sangam for holy dip on occasion of Mauni Amavasya

Lucknow: After Prayagraj witnessed a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela early on Wednesday morning, leaving at least 30 people dead and around 60 others injured, people were still coming to terms with their loss on Thursday. Some recalled moments leading up to the stampede that left them separated from their groups.

Among the deceased, four victims were from Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia district. While two of the deceased hailed from Nasirabad, the other two victims were from the Nagra police station area.

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The stampede occurred at the mela ground when an overwhelming crowd surged towards Triveni Sangam for the holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, according to Uttar Pradesh DIG Vaibhav Krishna.

Dilip Patel, a grieving relative, recalled the loss of his sister-in-law and niece in the tragedy. “Our sister-in-law and niece are no longer with us. They had gone to Prayagraj for the holy dip. My niece was just 12 years old, and my sister-in-law was 35,” he told IANS.

Durgesh Singh, a resident of the Nagra police station area, also mourned his loss. “My sister-in-law, Rinki Singh, went with 12 to 13 people and lost her life in the stampede,” he told IANS.

The tragedy extended beyond Ballia, claiming the life of Nankan Kori, a resident of Gonda. His nephew recounted how Nankan had travelled to the Maha Kumbh with 12 family members and hundreds of others from the Gonda Gram Sabha.

“When the stampede broke out, my uncle got separated from his companions. After the situation was brought under control, his companions started searching for him. Hours later, they found him in a hospital in an injured state, but the doctors declared him dead,” said Betu Lal, Nankan’s nephew.

The administration arranged an ambulance to transport Nankan’s body back to Gonda, where his family is inconsolable. “He was brought to the hospital by the police, but it was too late. The administration helped us take his body home,” Betu Lal added.

Amidst the tragedy, a survivor of the stampede shared her harrowing experience with IANS. “When we proceeded towards the Sangam, a stampede occurred. Out of our group of 12 people, only I am here. The rest are missing. We all got separated,” she said.

She described the chaotic moments leading up to the disaster. “People were all passing through the same place, leading to collisions. I came from Ballia and spent the night on the road. I don’t know how I will return or what happened to the others in my group,” she added.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances that led to the deadly stampede, as families struggle to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones.