‘All our cottages were burned’: Geeta Press trustee Krishna Kumar Khemka

PRAYAGRAJ (Uttar Pradesh): Krishna Kumar Khemka, trustee of the Geeta Press, Gorakhpur, spoke about the devastating fire that broke out at its camp in the Maha Kumbh Mela, destroying 180 cottages.

Khemka explained, “About 180 cottages were built and we had built them very carefully. Everyone had been forbidden to do any kind of fireworks. A circulating area was announced on the west side, where we have laid the boundary, where people would bathe in the Ganges”.

He further said, “I don’t know to whom the administration gave it. To whomsoever they gave it to, from that side, some of fire came towards us. And then slowly, like a spark, all our cottages were burned. Nothing was left. Goods worth crores have been damaged. By the grace of God, no life was harmed”.

#WATCH | Fire at #MahaKumbhMela2025 | Krishna Kumar Khemka, Trustee Geeta Press Gorakhpur, says, “This shivir is of Akhil Bharatiya Dharm Sangh and Gita Press, combined. We have built this with so much vigilance and all were prohibited from doing any kind of activity related to… pic.twitter.com/46kdH6COgY

— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2025

A person identified as Jaspreet was injured while trying to escape. He suffered a leg injury and fell unconscious. Emergency medical assistance was provided, and he was transferred to the Central Hospital for initial treatment before being sent to Swaroop Rani Medical College in Prayagraj for further care. Doctors confirmed that his condition was stable and out of danger.

According to a sources in the Information Department, “The fire started around 16:10 hours on Sunday, following a gas cylinder leak in the kitchen of the Geeta Press Gorakhpur camp, located between the old and new railway bridges.”

“The local fire service, assisted by Kalpvasis and police personnel, managed to control the fire by around 17:00 hours. However, the fire led to the explosion of two gas cylinders and the destruction of 40 thatched huts and six tents belonging to Shri Sanjeev Prayagwal”, the official said.

Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of the Maha Kumbh Mela, Vivek Chaturvedi, confirmed that the fire that occurred in the Gita Press camp damaged 70 to 80 huts and eight to ten tents. Police investigations are ongoing to ascertain further details about the incident. (ANI)