BELAGAVI: Four persons from Belagavi died in the stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela on Wednesday morning. The dead have been identified as Jyoti Hattarwad (50) and her daughter Megha Hattarwad (25) from Vadgaon, Arun Narayan Khoparde (60) from Shetty Galli, and Mahadevi Hanumant Bavanur (45) from Shivaji Nagar.
According to Belagavi MLA Asif Sait, the four persons succumbed to injuries sustained during the stampede.
A team of senior officials is being sent to Prayagraj to get the bodies of the four deceased back to Belagavi at the earliest, Sait said.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has announced an immediate compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of each of the deceased.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan has said a travel agent who had taken a group of pilgrims to the Maha Kumbh Mela lost contact with at least 30 people from Belagavi after the stampede.
He said the district administration had been exploring all possible alternatives for the safety of all 30 people and said due to the massive rush of people at the Kumbh Mela there must be some confusion.
He said he was confident that all of them would return to their camps in Prayagraj safely.