‘No death certificates, just a note’: Kumbh stampede victims’ kin raise issue

Families of the two women of West Bengal who were among the 30 pilgrims killed in Maha Kumbh stampede alleged on Thursday that the bodies were handed over to them at Prayagraj without death certificates PTI reportedThey claimed that they received only a piece of paper stating that the body was given to themA senior West Bengal minister alleged that total mismanagement prevailed in the Maha Kumbh Mela PTI citedAs per PTI the two elderly women from the state Basanti Poddar of Kolkatas Golf Green area and Urmila Bhuniya of Salboni in Paschim Medinipur district were killed in the predawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh on WednesdayPoddars son Surajit while recollecting the incident said We were going towards the Sangam Ghat No policeman was there then It the stampede happened at around 1130 am We were standing and suddenly there was a mad rush of thousands of people from nowhereHe said he did not get the time to take his mother to a hospital PTI citedLater we were referred to a medical college I was given a vehicle and a policeman No death certificate has been issued They have told me that the death certificate would be sent to the local police station here Surajit saidHe claimed that the note he was handed over had no official stamp nor was it signed by any official of the government of Uttar Pradesh PTI reportedSurajit further said that he was made to sign a paper before his mothers body was handed over to himAccording to PTI his version of the story was similar to what happened to the family of Urmila Bhuniya the other victimHer brother Dulal said no death certificate was issued for his sisters death by the UP governmentI came to know about the incident when my nephew telephoned me They are coming back in a vehicle He told me that no death certificate was issued and the body was handed over to him along with a note Dulal said PTI citedPower Minister Arup Biswas alleged that total mismanagement has led to the devastationThe Uttar Pradesh government has failed to organise the Mela Its only an advertisement There was no plan for the safety and security of the pilgrims They should have handed over the death certificate This is not the process said Biswas who is the MLA of Tollyganj PTI citedSurajits residence is in Kolkatas Golf Green which falls under the Tollyganj assembly constituencyLocal councillor Tapan Dasgupta suspected a conspiracy behind the UP government not issuing the death certificate PTI reportedSpeaking to PTI Dasgupta said I can sense a conspiracy behind the UP government not issuing the death certificate I doubt the woman will not get the compensation If needed I will file an FIR he saidWith inputs from PTI