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Families of two women from West Bengal, who were among the 30 pilgrims killed in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela, alleged on Thursday that they were handed over the bodies without death certificates.
They claimed that they received only a piece of paper mentioning that the body was handed over to them.
The victims, Basanti Poddar from Kolkata's Golf Green area and Urmila Bhuniya from Salboni in Paschim Medinipur district, were killed in the pre-dawn stampede on January 29.
A senior West Bengal minister alleged that "total mismanagement" prevailed in the Maha Kumbh Mela.
Seven people from the state were still missing in the Mela, family members claimed.
Among them, one Subir Naskar is from the city's Purba Putiari area, Mahendra Barman (Mathabhanga, Coochbehar), Suniti Mallick (Chakulia, Uttar Dinajpur), Archana Maiti (Tamluk, Purba Medinipur), Anita Ghosh (Malda), Darshana Devi Bansal (Siliguri) and Pranab Jana (Kanthi, Purba Medinipur district), they said.
Poddar's son Surajit described how the stampede occurred around 1-1:30 am as they were heading to the Sangam Ghat. Despite efforts to get medical help, he was not given a death certificate at the time, and was told it would be sent to the local police station.
"We were going towards Sangam Ghat. No policeman was there then. It (the stampede) happened around 1-1.30 am. We were standing and suddenly there was a mad rush of thousands of people from nowhere," he said and added that he did not get the time to take his mother to a hospital.
"Later, we were referred to a medical college. I was given a vehicle and a policeman. No death certificate has been issued. They told me that the death certificate would be sent to the local police station here," Surajit added.
He claimed that the note he was handed over had no official stamp nor signed by any official of the Uttar Pradesh government.
Surajit said he was made to sign a paper before his mother's body was handed over to him.
His version was similar to what happened to the family of Urmila Bhuniya, the other victim.
Her brother Dulal said no death certificate was issued for his sister by the UP government.
"I came to know about the incident when my nephew telephoned me. They are coming back in a vehicle. He told me that no death certificate was issued and the body was handed over to him along with a note," Dulal said.
Power Minister Arup Biswas alleged that "total mismanagement" led to the stampede.
"The Uttar Pradesh government has failed to organise the Mela. It's only an advertisement. There was no plan for the safety and security of the pilgrims. They should have handed over the death certificate. This is not the process," said Biswas, the MLA of Tollygunje.
Surajit's residence is in Golf Green which falls under the Tollygunje assembly constituency.
Local councillor Tapan Dasgupta sniffed a conspiracy behind the UP government not issuing the death certificate.
Speaking to PTI, Dasgupta said, "I can sense a conspiracy behind the UP government not issuing the death certificate. I doubt the woman will not get the compensation. If needed I will file an FIR," he said.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Shamik Bhattacharya said, "Uttar Pradesh government will provide compensation if it has promised."
Family members of Naskar have lodged a missing dairy with Regent Park police station.
"We have lodged a missing diary with the Regent Park police station. People from UP showed us some photographs of the bodies on video call but my uncle was not there," Naskar's niece claimed.
Meanwhile, the body of Basanti Poddar, one of the victims, was brought back to Kolkata on Thursday evening. Doctors at MR Bangur Hospital examined her body and officially declared her death. The necessary documents for conducting her last rites were also issued, sources added.
At least 30 pilgrims died and 60 others were injured in the pre-dawn stampede in the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh, as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on 'Mauni Amavasya'.
The Maha Kumbh kicked off on January 13 and will continue till February 26.