Trying time for relatives as they search for missing victims

Many survivors were left with little, as all their belongings were lost in the stampede. The administration claimed that at least 19 of the 24 identified bodies had been sent to their native places

Even as 24 of the 36 dead were identified during the day, many people ran from one hospital to another looking for their kin who had gone missing since the stampede at Allahabad railway station on Sunday evening.

Sitaram Prasad came to the mortuary of Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital looking for his wife Mamta Devi and mother Bachcha Devi. “I have already looked at the list of the injured. I have come here to see if their bodies are here. They were with me when the stampede occurred. After that I have not seen them,” he said.

After seeing the photographs of the dead at the mortuary, Prasad did not have any idea where to look for his family members.



Same was the case with Arjun, who was looking for his wife Sushila Bai. Baliram Pandey from Gorakhpur had been looking for his relative Teg Bahadur and had been to the GRP post and the hospital. “There is one Tej Bahadur in the list of the injured. But I am not sure whether he is the person I am looking for. I will take a look and then go to Tej Bahadur Sapru Hospital,” he said.

Many survivors were left with little, as all their belongings were lost in the stampede. Raj Kumar Kesri of Patna said: “I was wearing a jacket. All the money and ticket was in that jacket. It is gone. My elder sister’s mobile and purse is also lost. Luckily, I had my mobile phone safe. My son is there back home, but he cannot come immediately. We are left with no money.” His sister Shanti Devi was injured in the stampede and was being treated at SRN hospital.

Bansi Dhar Thakur from Delhi, whose neighbour Manorama Devi was injured, said: “Let alone our purse and mobile phones, even our bags and other belongings have been lost. We are left with no money and no clothes.” In the morning, however, somebody came and gave him Rs 500.

The administration claimed that at least 19 of the 24 identified bodies had been sent to their native places. “Three bodies were cremated at Rasulabad crematorium, as their families requested us to get the last rites done here,” said Additional Director (Health) and in-charge (health and sanitation) of Kumbh Mela, Ramesh Kumar. The officer had been camping at SRN since morning.

Tuesday 12 February 2013

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/trying-time-for-relatives-as-they-search-for-missing-victims/1072983/