Nasik, Aug 28: Bodies of 25 of the 35 people who were killed in the stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela here were identified today even as the district authorities were making efforts to establish contact with the relatives of the remaining victims. Additional collector Vilas Patil said that bodies of 18 victims were claimed by the relatives and an initial assistance of Rs 5000 was disbursed to the kin of the dead. Ninety-four injured persons were being treated at the Nasik Civil Hospital and eight of them at a municipal hospital. Thirty others were discharged after treatment this morning, he said.
A separate ward has been set up at the Nasik Civil Hospital to identify bodies, Patil said. Thirty-five pilgrims, including 28 women, were killed and about 140 were injured in yesterday's stampede and drowning in one of the worst tragedies during a religious gathering in recent times.
Meanwhile, 'mahants' and devotees offered prayers for the departed souls near the Ram Kund here this morning and also observed a two-minute silence. Bureau Report