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Mahakumbh stampede: Bodies of 4 Belagavi victims to reach Karnataka today
The process involves airlifting the remains after embalming in Delhi, with officials ensuring a smooth transfer and family members accompanying the bodies.
Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda announced on Thursday that the mortal remains of four individuals from Belagavi who lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Prayagraj's Mahakumbh will be brought back to the state on Thursday, later in the evening. He confirmed that senior officials are overseeing the process to ensure a smooth transfer and dead bodies will be airlifted from New Delhi to Belagavi.
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Providing details on the operation, Gowda stated that IPS officer Hariram Shankar is managing the transportation of the bodies from Kumbh Mela. Two ambulances carrying the remains are en route to Delhi, where Special Deputy Commissioner Harsha from Belagavi will join the efforts. Both officials will accompany the mortal remains on their journey to Belagavi.
“Embalming will be carried out in Delhi before the remains are flown to Karnataka. The state government has arranged for a 3:20 pm IndiGo flight to transport the deceased along with four accompanying family members and officials,” Gowda told ANI.
He also noted that, as of now, no reports have emerged regarding additional injuries or hospitalizations. However, the Nodal Officer of the Karnataka Government, Harshal Boyar, has been instructed to take all necessary measures to verify if any other individuals from the state are receiving medical treatment.
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The Karnataka Police confirmed on Wednesday that four devotees from Belagavi had died in the stampede. The tragic incident, which occurred in the early hours of the day, claimed the lives of 30 people and left many others injured. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar paid condolences to the families of the deceased.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Vaibhav Krishna, while addressing the media, reported that 25 of the deceased have been identified, while efforts are underway to establish the identities of the remaining five. He further revealed that the fatalities include four individuals from Karnataka, one from Assam, and one from Gujarat. Additionally, 36 injured victims are currently undergoing treatment at a local medical college in Prayagraj.
