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26-year-old pilgrim dies after tent catches fire at Magh Mela in Prayagraj
This was the third fire incident in the past three days.
The incident took place on Thursday, the day of the holy snan (bath) for Makar Sankranti. (Image: Express Photo by Vishal Srivastav)
A young pilgrim died of burn injuries at the Magh Mela in Prayagraj after a fire broke out in one of the tents on Thursday night. This was the third fire incident in the past three days; no injuries were reported in the other incidents.
The youth, Manas Mishra (26), hailed from Sarai Inayat in Prayagraj. Police said he was staying in a tent in Sector-5 of the Mela area.
Ganga Prasad, SHO of Prayagraj police station set up temporarily for the Magh Mela, told The Indian Express that they were alerted about the fire at 11.20 pm. By the time a police team and a fire tender rushed to the site, the tent was engulfed in flames. The blaze was doused within a few minutes but a youth, who was alone inside, had sustained severe burn injuries by then. He was rushed to Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, the SHO added.
Senior officials said doctors told them the man had suffered 90% burns. He succumbed to injuries during treatment on Friday morning.
SHO Prasad told The Indian Express that the youth was among the Kalpvasis — people who stay on the banks of the Ganga at the Sangam for the entire month of Magh — and was alone in the tent.
Thursday was also the day of the holy snan (bath) for Makar Sankranti.
A preliminary inquiry, Prasad said, showed that a diya (oil lamp) kept inside the tent may have caused the fire. Kalpvasis keep this diya lit round the clock for the whole month as part of their rituals, he added.
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Mishra’s family members were informed of the incident last night. The administration may announce an ex-gratia to the family after the autopsy, an officer said.
Similar incidents had occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday when tents had caught fire due to a short circuit in power cables. However, no one was reported hurt in these incidents.
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