(Graphics: The Quint)
Thirty residents of Kherua village from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh had embarked on their 12-day pilgrimage to the holy Kumbh mela in Haridwar, one of the largest human gatherings on the planet.
Thirty others from neighbouring villages soon joined them. This entourage was on the two-day long, 900 km bus journey from Vidisha to Haridwar.
But midway the pilgrims were taken aback by a COVID scare. This is how a co-passenger who was in the same bus, narrated the incident to The Quint.
The pilgrims reached the Kumbh in time for the first and second Shahi Snan that were scheduled on 11 and 12 March.
The pilgrims reached the Kumbh in time for the first and second Shahi Snan that were scheduled on 11 and 12 March. Everything seemed fine to the person who had called, except for the fact that the husband was lying. His COVID positive wife was travelling in the same bus with him.
The pilgrims were at the Kumbh during the first and second Shahi Snan that were scheduled on 11 and 12 March.
Millions took the holy dip in river Ganga during Shahi Snan. Some reports say that over 20 lakh devotees participated in the first Shahi Snan on Maha Shivratri on 11 March.
After the Kumbh, the devotees from Vidisha proceeded ahead with their journey towards Naina Devi temple, Chandi Devi temple and Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu.
After the Kumbh, the devotees from Vidisha proceeded ahead with their journey towards Naina Devi temple, Chandi Devi temple and Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu. It was only on 24 March that the Uttarakhand government made it mandatory for devotees to bring a negative RTPCR report not older than 72 hours to attend the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.
Some members of the group started falling sick after the mountainous pilgrimage. They returned home on 20 March.
After Kamal informed the local authorities, the Vidisha district hospital sent a team to the village for COVID tests.
It was not just the Kumbh returnees, other villagers too were also infected by now.
As India continues to reel under the new surge of COVID-19 cases, fear looms that Kumbh returnees may contribute further to the rapid rise in infections. Over 2,000 new cases were reported from the Kumbh between 10 to 14 April.
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