63-year-old Assam businessman died in Maha Kumbh stampede: Police

Nitiranjan Paul, owner of Om Sweets in Assam, went to Prayagraj with his family last week to take a dip. The family had put up in Madhwapur area of Prayagraj

Silchar: A 63-year-old businessman from Assam’s Hailakandi district has died, in the Maha Kumbh stampede that occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, said police.

A 63-year-old businessman from Assam’s Hailakandi district has died allegedly in the Maha Kumbh stampede (Deepak Gupta/ Hindustan Times)

The deceased’s body will be airlifted from Allahabad to Silchar, said Leena Doley, superintendent of police (SP) of Hailakandi.

Nitiranjan Paul, owner of Om Sweets in Assam, had travelled to Prayagraj with his family last week to take a dip. The family had stayed in the Madhwapur area of Prayagraj.

Nitiranjan’s wife, Gayatri, told the police that the family had reached the ghat early due to a large number of devotees and around 2.30 am, the stampede broke out.

She said that the members screamed for help, but there was no police at the spot. After hours of searching, they found Nitiranjan and took him to a hospital where he died while receiving treatmen.

Doley said, “We have received confirmation from the Uttar Pradesh police about the death of Nitiranjan. The body may reach Silchar on Wednesday or Thursday, and it will be brought to Hailakandi by road from Silchar’s Kumbhirgram Airport.”