LUCKNOW: A 26-year-old Kalpwasi died after suffering severe burn injuries in a tent fire at the ongoing Magh Mela in Prayagraj late on Thursday night. The victim, identified as Manas Mishra, was allegedly alone and asleep inside his tent when the blaze broke out in Sector 5 of the Mela area.
This was the third fire incident reported at the Mela site in the past three days. While no injuries were reported in the other two incidents, Mishra succumbed to his injuries on Friday morning. He is believed to be a relative of Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate Umesh Mishra.
According to police sources, the victim, who was staying in a tent in Sector 5, hailed from the Leelapur Kalan locality under the Sarai Inayat area in Prayagraj.
Superintendent of Police, Magh Mela, Neeraj Pandey, said the police were alerted to the incident at 11.15 pm. By the time a police team and a fire tender reached the site, the tent was already engulfed in flames.
The blaze was doused within a few minutes, but the youth, who was alone inside and asleep at the time, had sustained severe burn injuries. He was rushed to Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital. A probe into the incident is under way, the SP said.
Doctors who treated the victim said he had suffered 90 per cent burns and succumbed to his injuries during treatment on Friday morning.
Local sources said the victim was among the Kalpvasis staying on the banks of the Ganga at the Sangam for the entire month of Magh and was alone in the tent at the time of the fire.
Thursday also marked the day of the holy snan for Makar Sankranti, during which over a crore devotees took a holy dip at the Sangam.
Senior police officials said that, according to the PE (Preliminary Enquiry), the fire was triggered by a diya kept inside the tent. As per tradition, Kalpvasis keep a diya lit round the clock for the entire month as part of their rituals.
Mishra’s family members were informed of the incident last night.
Similar incidents had occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday when tents caught fire due to a short circuit in power cables. However, no one was reported hurt in those incidents.
