Maha Kumbh stampede: Two Siliguri residents found safe, many still missing

Siliguri: Two women from Siliguri who had gone missing following the stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela have been found safe. Darshana Devi Bansal (70) and Putul Roy (47) are returning home by the Mahananda Express train.

Preeti Bansal, granddaughter of Darshana Devi Bansal, said: “On Thursday night, my grandmother called and told me that she had somehow managed to reach Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Railway Station. There, she met two youths from Siliguri who helped her board the train. We are immensely grateful to them.”

Meanwhile, Jayanta Roy, son of Putul Roy said: “Around 2:30 am on Friday, we received information that my mother had reached out to one of our relatives in Uttar Pradesh, who then helped her board the train.”

Meanwhile, 70-year-old Suniti Mallik of Hatipa village in North Dinajpur district has been missing since the stampede. Her daughter-in-law, Sumati Mallik, expressed deep concern, stating: “The others searched for her in hotels, guest houses and hospitals but couldn’t find her. A complaint has been lodged with the Uttar Pradesh Police, but she had no mobile phone or identification documents with her, making the search difficult.”

Rasamet Meher (55), a resident of Shikarpur Tea Garden in the Belakoba area of Rajganj block, Jalpaiguri district, has also gone missing since the stampede. Her husband, who was present at the site, has been searching for her but has not been able to locate her yet. Asim Saha from South Dinajpur is also missing since the stampede. His family remains anxious as search efforts continue.

Amiya Saha (33), a teacher at Kartiktola Primary School in Baishnabnagar, died at the Kumbh Mela. According to family sources, Saha had taken part in the Amrit Snan on Wednesday and was in good health at that time. However, on the way back, he was caught in the massive crowd, which led to him suddenly falling ill and was declared ‘brought dead’ at a medical facility. On Friday morning, his lifeless body arrived back at his village. MLA Chandana Sarkar, visited the family to offer condolences. She criticised the lack of infrastructure and planning at the Kumbh Mela, holding the Uttar Pradesh government accountable. A 32-year-old man from NS Road, Jaigaon, Mithun Sharma, passed away on Thursday at Prayagraj. According to his sister, Neelam Sharma, Mithun began experiencing health issues amid the large gathering. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

In a separate incident, a protest broke out inside the Bathinda-Balurghat Express over alleged misconduct by ticket examiners (TTEs). A group of Balurghat teachers, returning from the Maha Kumbh, protested after reportedly witnessing ticketless passengers being allowed in by the Railway Protection Force (RPF). When TTEs began “collecting fines in cash without issuing receipts, the teachers raised objections”.

In response, the TTEs allegedly threatened them with arrest, sparking outrage among passengers. The TTEs were forced to return the money before retreating.