On the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, millions of devotees descended upon the Triveni banks for the royal bath, leading to chaos at the Mahakumbh fair area on Wednesday morning. The stampede is suspected to have caused the death of 10 people and injured many others. Many devotees were separated from their families in the chaos, and are now frantically searching hospitals and police stations for their loved ones. As of 2 PM on Mauni Amavasya, over 50 million devotees had taken a dip in Triveni.
We encountered a young man from West Bengal whose father-in-law went missing after this incident. Sanatan Vishwas, the young man, had come to the Kumbh bath with his brother and father-in-law, but they lost contact during the turmoil at the Sangam beach. Initially, they searched within the fair, but when he couldn't find them, he turned towards hospitals. Despite multiple visits to hospitals, he has yet to find any trace of his father-in-law. Sanatan goes around showing people on his phone, asking if they've seen his father-in-law.
'We Were Together Until Midnight'
On Mauni Amavasya, Sanatan Vishwas from Kolkata shared his ordeal, 'I came here with my father-in-law and brother. After the stampede on the 28th night, they became separated from me. We were together until midnight, but as the crowds grew, we got separated.'
Source: aajtak
He explained, 'I have searched for my father-in-law several times in the central hospital, police station, and railway station. Yet, I have no information about him.'
PM Modi Expressed Grief
Prime Minister Modi expressed his sorrow over the Mahakumbh stampede in Prayagraj. In a tweet, he noted, 'The incident at Prayagraj Mahakumbh is deeply saddening. I extend my heartfelt condolences to those who lost their family in this tragedy. I also pray for the swift recovery of all injured. The local administration is doing everything to assist the affected. I have spoken with Chief Minister Yogi Ji and remain in constant contact with the state government.'
It is important to note that since the commencement of Mahakumbh on January 13, approximately 200 million people have taken a dip in the Ganges. Today alone, on Mauni Amavasya, over 100 million devotees are expected.
