Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], January 30: The bodies of four devotees from Belagavi who tragically lost their lives in the Maha Kumbh stampede in Prayagraj will be transported via Delhi and airlifted to Belagavi, confirmed Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Roshan on Thursday.
In a statement to the press, DC Roshan expressed deep sorrow over the incident, saying, “The tragic events in Prayagraj have deeply saddened us. Last night, the Belagavi district administration, along with the Karnataka government, coordinated with Prayagraj authorities to arrange for the transfer of the deceased.”
“The decision was made to transport the bodies from Prayagraj to Delhi and then airlift them to Belagavi. We have also made arrangements for post-mortem and other procedures here in Belagavi,” he added.
Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda earlier stated that senior officers are overseeing the efforts to bring back the bodies. “IPS officer Hariram Shankar is coordinating the transport of the mortal remains in two ambulances en route to Delhi. Special DC Harsha from Belagavi will join them in Delhi to ensure the bodies are safely flown to Belagavi,” Gowda said.
He also mentioned that a 3:20 pm IndiGo flight has been arranged for the mortal remains, accompanied by four family members and officers from Karnataka. “As of now, no further injuries or hospitalizations have been reported. However, if needed, Nodal Officer Harshal Boyar will take additional steps to check for other injured individuals,” he added.
The stampede, which occurred early Wednesday morning, claimed 30 lives and left many others injured, sparking an outpouring of condolences from political leaders across the country.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Vaibhav Krishna shared that 25 of the 30 victims had been identified, while the remaining five bodies are yet to be named. “Among the deceased, four are from Karnataka, one from Assam, and one from Gujarat. Additionally, 36 people are receiving treatment at a local medical college,” he said.