Daijiworld Media Network- Sehore

Sehore, Aug 7: A spiritual journey meant to strengthen faith has turned into a tragedy for thousands at Kubereshwar Dham in Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh. In a span of just 72 hours, six devotees lost their lives during the Kanwar Yatra, casting a shadow over the massive religious gathering organised under the aegis of famed spiritual orator Pandit Pradeep Mishra.

The deceased have been identified as Upendra (22) from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, Dilip Singh (57) from Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Chatur Singh (50) from Panchwal, Gujarat, Ishwar Singh (65) from Rohtak, Haryana, Jaswanti Ben (56) from Rajkot, and Sangeeta Gupta (48) from Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh. All had come seeking spiritual solace but were met with chaos and calamity. Their bodies now lie in the Sehore district hospital mortuary.

The religious fervour at Kubereshwar, meant to be a moment of divine connection, instead revealed glaring lapses in administration, crowd management, and basic infrastructure. With lakhs of pilgrims pouring in from across India — including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh — the local authorities appeared ill-prepared for the surge.

From stampedes to choked roads, and from lack of drinking water to absent sanitation facilities, the pilgrimage site descended into a logistical nightmare. The Indore-Bhopal highway, a vital route for Kanwariyas, has remained jammed for over two days. Despite the police imposing vehicle restrictions and suggesting alternate routes, poor execution led to massive congestion and stranded vehicles.

Angry devotees recounted scenes of utter neglect. “There were no toilets, no drinking water. They made us pay for food, and women and elderly were being pushed around. The police just stood there,” shared one distressed pilgrim.

The Kubereshwar Dham Management Committee, along with the district administration, is now facing sharp criticism for failing to anticipate or manage the crowd. No crowd-control measures, no proper medical aid, and no basic arrangements were in place for the lakhs who turned up in faith.

Cabinet Minister Govind Rajput, speaking to NDTV, admitted that the crowd exceeded expectations. “The system is falling short. We urge the administration to act swiftly,” he said.

However, opposition leaders were less forgiving. Former Minister Dr Rajendra Singh questioned the silence of the organisers: “Pandit Mishra may distribute Rudraksha or not — that is his decision. But who takes responsibility for the six lives lost?”

Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar condemned the mismanagement, stating, “No one has the right to risk human lives in the name of religion. This should be a wake-up call.”

Despite multiple assurances by the Samiti working with Pandit Mishra regarding food, shelter, and sanitation, nothing substantial reached the ground. As a result, faith has now been replaced with fear.

With Raksha Bandhan approaching, several families now mourn loved ones who won’t return. The tragedy at Kubereshwar Dham has not only left unanswered questions but also a deep scar on the sanctity of what was supposed to be a sacred pilgrimage.