Patna, Jan 30 (IANS): Four women from Bihar's Gopalganj district lost their lives in a stampede during the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj. The commotion had broken out in the early hours of Wednesday.
The incident occurred at Sangam Ghat during the Mauni Amavasya bath (holy bath), one of the most significant days of the Mahakumbh Mela.
The deceased, all from different villages in Gopalganj, have been identified as Shivkali Devi (65), a native of Madanpur village under the jurisdiction of Barauli police station, Saraswati Devi (68), a resident of Ramnagar village under the jurisdiction of Bhore police station, Tara Devi (65), a resident of Shyampur village and Sushila Devi of Balesara village under the jurisdiction of Uchka police station in the district.
According to Sangeeta Kumari, daughter of Shivkali Devi, her mother had travelled to Mahakumbh to take a holy dip, fulfilling a long-cherished religious wish.
However, while bathing at Sangam Ghat, a sudden surge in the crowd triggered a stampede.
"After a convoy of sadhus passed by, the number of devotees increased rapidly. People started falling over each other, and my mother got trapped in the stampede," Sangeeta said.
As soon as the news of Shivkali Devi’s death reached Madanpur, a wave of sorrow spread through the village.
Her daughters-in-law were inconsolable, and relatives gathered in large numbers to console the grieving family.
Saraswati Devi, who went to Prayagraj with her 14-year-old nephew and other family members in a Bolero car, also lost her life in the chaos.
Along with Tara Devi, both suffered injuries while bathing during Amrit Snan phase and eventually succumbed due to their injuries.
All the women had left home with devotion and excitement, eager to participate in the sacred Maha Kumbh bath.
Their families had expressed concerns about the massive crowds, but their strong religious beliefs led them to take part in the pilgrimage.
The incident has left their families in deep sorrow, transforming their spiritual journey into a painful memory.
The postmortem of three of the deceased were conducted in Prayagraj and bodies were handed over to their families.