As Haridwar reported a daily spike of more than 600 new coronavirus cases, one of the prominent Akharas participating in Kumbh Mela, the Niranjani Akhara, has advised its seers to leave the religious gathering on Saturday. In a statement, they said, due to the growing number of Covid cases, Haridwar is not in good shape, so seers must leave for their destinations on Saturday, after a holy dip in the Ganga.
There are over 13 akharas and lakhs of seers associated with the Kumbh Mela. Several of them have tested positive. Uttarakhand recorded over 2,220 new coronavirus cases, the biggest single-day spike so far, with Dehradun and Haridwar districts emerging as major hotspots.
The Kumbh Mela began on April 1 and will conclude at the end of this month. Despite Niranjani Akhara’s announcement, Uttarakhand cabinet minister Bansidhar Bhagat has said the Kumbh would continue.