The Uttar Pradesh government has released a compensation of ₹25 lakh each to the families of four people from Belagavi who tragically lost their lives in a stampede at the Prayagraj Mahakumbh Mela, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan announced on Monday.
Addressing the media, Roshan stated that after discussions with Prayagraj Deputy Commissioner Ravi Mander, the compensation amount was directly transferred to the bank accounts of the deceased’s families. The victims have been identified as:
- Jyoti Hatarawata (50) – Vadagavi, Belagavi
- Megha Hatarawata – Daughter of Jyoti Hatarawata
- Mahadevi Bavanur
- Arun Koparde – Shetti Galli, Belagavi
The Deputy Commissioner confirmed that local officials verified the transactions through the village accountant. He also mentioned that minor errors in the names of the deceased were corrected and sent to the Prayagraj District Magistrate via WhatsApp and email for record updates. The Prayagraj administration has assured that the post-mortem reports and death certificates will be sent within two days.
Tragic Incident at Mahakumbh
A group of 60 devotees from Belagavi had left for Prayagraj on January 26 via Sairatha Travel Agency, traveling in two buses. While four of them lost their lives in the stampede, the remaining 56 members released a video statement confirming their safety.
According to their statement, the travel agency had arranged food and other necessities. Upon nearing Prayagraj, the group was divided into smaller batches for bathing rituals in the Ganges. A group of nine devotees went for their holy dip during Brahmi Muhurta, when the stampede occurred, resulting in the unfortunate deaths.
The survivors clarified that Sairatha Travels was not responsible for the incident, as they had earlier instructed all passengers to return safely and board the bus on time.