CM visits Kumbh Mela site, normalcy restored post thunderstorm

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday visited the ongoing Simhastha Mela site twice within a span of 12 hours where seven people were killed and over 100 injured when heavy rains accompanied by lightning and squall flattened and uprooted makeshifts tents of pilgrims.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday visited the ongoing Simhastha Mela site twice within a span of 12 hours where seven people were killed and over 100 injured when heavy rains accompanied by lightning and squall flattened and uprooted makeshifts tents of pilgrims.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan distributing tea to pilgrims at a relief centre at the ongoing Simhastha Mahakumbh, in Ujjain on Friday. (PTI)

Chouhan reached here at around 4 am and first went to the district hospital to visit the injured. He assured full government help in the treatment.

Chouhan then visited the Chimanganj mandi premises where arrangements of shelter for pilgrims were made.

He left at around 9.30 am but returned in the evening and visited the akharas of several saints where he reiterated that all the repairs would be completed within two days and the second shahi snan of May 9 would record more than the expected gathering.

Divisional commissioner Ravindra Pastaur said, “Normalcy has returned to the holy city. Help from adjoining districts is pouring in. Things have been set right and electricity supply has been restored in the city.”

Around nine lakh devotees and sadhus are in the city taking part in the Kumbh.

Since midnight, the devotees have been taking a dip in the holy Kshipra river, he said.

“With the help of people from adjoining districts, we are providing meals and other facilities to the pilgrims,” Pastaur added.

Terming the incident as painful, Chouhan has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.