Girl Reunited with Father at Gangasagar Mela After 10-Hour Search
A 10-year-old girl from Bihar faced a terrifying situation at the Gangasagar Mela on Thursday. She nearly lost her father, just one year after her mother died in the Mahakumbh fire in Prayagraj. Quick action by police and amateur radio operators saved the day.
Search Operation at the Mela Ground
Cops on duty spotted the young girl crying near the mega control room at the mela ground. They immediately informed amateur radio operators, who rushed to help. The girl could only provide her father's phone number and say she lost him.
Ambarish Nag Biswas of the Radio Club explained the situation. "We traced the phone number to locate her residence in Banka district, Bihar. Then we started searching for her father at the mela."
Volunteers and radio operators searched for nearly ten hours. They discovered the girl was staying at a hut in Shelter 75 at the mela ground. Locals told them her father fell ill and was admitted to a hospital.
Emotional Reunion at the Hospital
The radio operators took Anjana to the hospital where her father was receiving treatment. She instantly recognized him, and the emotional reunion brought relief to everyone involved.
Nag Biswas reflected on the close call. "We were lucky to trace her father. Otherwise, the girl could have lost both her parents at Mahakumbh and Gangasagar."
Background of the Family
Anjana Kumari Pandey lives in Katoriya village in Banka district, Bihar. She came to the Sagar Mela with her father, Uday Pandey, who works as a priest. Uday frequently attends religious events across the country.
Last year, the family visited the Mahakumbh at Prayagraj. Uday took his wife, Mira Devi, and daughter, Anjana, with him. A massive fire broke out at the Kapi Manas Mandal camp, trapping the family inside.
While Uday and Anjana managed to escape, Mira Devi did not survive the chaos. Everyone tried to rush out, but she was lost in the fire. This tragedy made Thursday's incident even more poignant.
Another Successful Reunion at Gangasagar
In a separate incident, a 61-year-old woman from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, was safely reunited with her family. Jagpatti Devi went missing while visiting Gangasagar for a holy dip with her relatives.
Baranagar Police found her wandering aimlessly along railway tracks near Niranjan Sen Nagar. They located her within 24 hours of her disappearance, demonstrating effective coordination during the large mela.
These incidents highlight the challenges of managing massive religious gatherings like Gangasagar Mela. They also show how technology and community efforts can prevent tragedies.
