BBC investigation reveals hidden deaths at India festival crush
Summary
A BBC investigation found that more people died in a crowd crush at the Kumbh Mela Hindu festival in India than the official reports indicate. The government acknowledges 37 deaths, but BBC's research uncovered evidence of additional deaths and compensation payments to more families.Key Facts
- The official death toll for the Kumbh Mela crush is 37.
- A BBC investigation found evidence of 26 more deaths with partial compensation paid and 18 more deaths with no payment.
- Families of those who died received various sums, with some getting 500,000 rupees in cash initially.
- Compensation issues included families receiving cash at homes and being asked to sign documents attributing deaths to health issues instead of the crush.
- A police team from Uttar Pradesh distributed cash to families in different areas.
- The government has announced a compensation of 2.5 million rupees for each victim’s family but has not fully paid some families.
- The BBC verified 82 deaths through documents, interviews, and cross-referencing local reports.
- Four separate crush incidents were identified, although the government reported only one.
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