A heartbreaking scene unfolded at the Shahapur crematorium in Belagavi on Friday morning as a pet dog, Sony, silently shed tears while the final rites of Jyothi Hattarwath and her daughter Megha were performed. The mother-daughter duo was among four Belagavi residents who lost their lives in the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Wednesday.
Deepak Hattarwath, Jyothi’s husband, shared that Sony had been deeply attached to Megha and had refused to eat for the past two days. Their mortal remains were transported from New Delhi to Goa before reaching Belagavi at around 12:30 AM on Friday. The other two victims, Arun Koparde and Mahadevi Bavanur, were also brought back on Thursday evening. While Koparde was cremated at Sadashiv Nagar, Mahadevi’s body was taken to Dharwad for the last rites.
Deepak, still in shock, recalled urging Megha not to travel to Prayagraj due to her upcoming wedding in March. However, her devotion to the sacred site compelled her to accompany her mother.
The Belagavi administration has announced ₹2 lakh as compensation for the families of the deceased, while the Uttar Pradesh government has pledged ₹25 lakh. Minister Satish Jarkiholi assured further discussions with the chief minister regarding additional aid.
Meanwhile, authorities are struggling to gather data on all Belagavi residents who attended the Maha Kumbh, as many took different routes via Hubballi, Kolhapur, or Goa.
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