Three sustain burn injuries at Magh Mela in Prayagraj

Prayagraj (UP), Feb 9 (IANS) Three persons sustained burn injuries on Friday after a fire broke out in the camp of Kinnar Akhara at the ongoing Magh Mela in Prayagraj.

The Kinnar Akhara is located in Sector 5 of the Magh Mela township.

Mela officer Dayanand Prasad said that the injured were given first-aid at Ganga Hospital located in the mela area and later referred to Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital.

He said that the blaze was completely controlled in about an hour by the fire department personnel. However, some goods, including food items, clothes and bedding, got damaged in the incident, he said.

On Friday, Magh Mela township witnessed a huge rush on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya.

An official said that about 90 lakh people had taken a dip in the Ganga and the holy 'Sangam' till 8 am on Friday, the third major bathing occasion of Magh Mela in the Sangam city.

He said people have been flocking to the ghats from across the state.

He said that in view of the huge crowd, the length of the ghats has been increased from 6,800 feet to 8,000 feet and a total of 12 ghats have been prepared, complete with sheds to change clothes.