Security tightened at Kumbh Mela after Mumbai blast | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Security tightened at Kumbh Mela after Mumbai blast

PTI | ByReuters, Mumbai
Jul 30, 2003 05:52 PM IST

About 18,000 security officials stood guard as Kumbh Mela began in Nasik, two days after a bomb explosion in Mumbai.

The Kumbh Mela began in Nasik on Wednesday amid tight security, two days after a bomb explosion in nearby Mumbai.

HT Image
HT Image

About 18,000 security officials stood guard as hundreds of holy men marched through Nasik.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Authorities said they were taking no chances after Monday night's blast that killed two people, injured 47 and left a local bus mangled.

Helicopters circled the air and pilgrims were frisked as a row of decorated elephants followed a throng of drum-beating devotees on the first day of a festival that is expected to attract some 10 million people over the next two weeks.

"We have thoroughly surveyed the area," Madhav Tambade, a senior police official, told Reuters. "Our effort is to see that no untoward incident takes place."

Security is particularly tight because of a series of bomb explosions in Bombay in December and March, in which 14 people were killed. In May, some 250 crude bombs were found in a dry well on the outskirts of the city.

Police said the bomb attacks were masterminded by small outfits trained by the Lashkar-e-Taiba, an outlawed Pakistan-based militant group, fighting Indian rule in Kashmir.

The Kumbh rotates among four holy sites every two to three years and this year is in the twin temple towns of Nasik and Trimbakeshwar, nearly 200 km (125 miles) from Bombay.

Indians believe Nasik was one among four holy places where a few drops of the nectar of immortality fell from a vessel when gods and demons fought over the pitcher.

The most auspicious day of the year-long event is August 17 when millions are expected to take a holy dip in the river Godavari to wash away their sins during the "Shahi Snan" or Royal Bath.

The biggest Kumbh Mela was held in the northern city of Allahabad two years ago when almost 100 million pilgrims bathed in the holy Ganges during the six-week festival.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Mukhtar Ansari Death News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On