Nashik: Devotees Risk Their Lives Travelling To Trimbakeshwar, Scramble To Board Buses Through Windows

Nashik: Devotees risked their lives while travelling to Trimbakeshwar to mark the third Monday of the holy month of Shravan. A chaotic scramble broke out among passengers as buses bound for Trimbakeshwar arrived at the Thakkar Bazar bus station.

With no standing space left inside the buses, some devotees attempted to climb in through the windows, while others travelled on the roofs. The crowd was so dense that devotees had to squeeze and force their way into the vehicles.

Although a large number of ST (State Transport) buses had been deployed since the previous night, the sheer volume of devotees made it difficult to control the crowds. Approximately two to three lakh devotees are expected to visit Trimbakeshwar today. Parking arrangements have been made for private vehicles, from where visitors must take buses to reach the temple.

The dangerous mode of travel has raised questions over the administration’s planning. There have been concerns that an adequate police presence or sufficient officials were not visible at the bus station. Devotees are being urged to plan safe travel and avoid unnecessary crowding.