The deceased have been identified as Megha Deepak Hattarwath (24), Jyothi Deepak Hattarwath (44), Arun Koparde (61) and Mahadev Hanamth Bavanur (48), all residents of Belagavi.
Published Jan 30, 2025 | 11:02 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 30, 2025 | 11:53 AM
An image from where the stampede occurred. (X)
Four people from Belagavi in Karnataka lost their lives following the stampede situation during the ongoing duodecennial Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, said official sources on Thursday, 30 January.
The deceased have been identified as Megha Deepak Hattarwath (24), Jyothi Deepak Hattarwath (44), Arun Koparde (61) and Mahadev Hanamth Bavanur (48), all residents of Belagavi. The lack of communication from the Uttar Pradesh government made it difficult for Karnataka to trace the well being of its citizens in the Maha Kumbh.
“I don’t have answers as to why the Uttar Pradesh government is not sharing information with us. It is standard procedure to identify, make state-wise list of those affected and share it with state governments, but that has not happened here. By now we should have received information about people from Karnataka in the Kumbh mela. I don’t want to point fingers during a tragedy,” Krishna Byre Gowda, Revenue minister of Karnataka, told reporters on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the state government set up a helpline and appointed nodal officers and sent them to Prayagraj to bring back the mortal remains of the deceased for the last rites to be performed in their native places.
At least 30 people were killed and over 60 were injured in a stampede that occurred after several pilgrims scaled a barricade at the Triveni Sangam — the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati — between 1 am and 2 am as thousands of people waited for a holy dip — Amrit Snan — on the auspicious day of Mauni Amavasya.
In an official notification, the state government said it had received a message from the family members of the deceased stating that four people lost their lives in the tragic stampede.
“The sudden loss of their lives has caused immense grief to their families and they are now seeking the support of the District Administration to bring back the mortal remains of their loved ones for the last rites to be performed in their native places,” the notification said.
Belagavi Additional Superintendent of Police Shruti NS and Special Deputy Commissioner, R&R Project Belagavi Harsha Shetty have been appointed as the nodal officers.
Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority Commissioner Bhoyar Harshal Narayanrao has been deputed to coordinate with the Uttar Pradesh government and Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar is coordinating the movement of mortal remains to Delhi.
The mortal remains are expected to reach Belagavi on Thursday evening via a flight from Delhi, along with family members and nodal officers.
Further, the state government said there was no report of any other injured or hospitalised Karnataka natives. Boyar Harshal is asked to take all measures necessary to find out if there are any more injured in any of the hospitals.
(With inputs from Nolan Pinto.)
