Bodies of 25 of the 35 persons who were killed in the stampede during the holy bath at the Kumbh Mela in Nashik have been identified even as the district authorities were making efforts to establish contact with the relatives of the remaining victims.

Relatives had claimed the bodies of 18 victims and the kin of each victim had been given Rs 5,000 as initial assistance, Additional Collector Vilas Patil told PTI.

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Authorities are trying to get in touch with the relatives of the other victims.

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Ninety-four injured persons were being treated at the Nashik Civil Hospital and eight at the Nashik Municipal Hospital. Thirty others were discharged after treatment on Thursday morning, he said.

A separate ward has been set up at the Nashik Civil Hospital to identify bodies, Patil said.

Thirty-five pilgrims, including 28 women, were killed and about 140 injured in Wednesday's stampede and drowning in one of the worst tragedies during a religious gathering in recent times.

Meanwhile, sadhus and devotees offered prayers for the departed souls near the Ram Kund in the morning and also observed a two-minute silence.

The other casualties include Makhan Singh Sisodi (40) from Madhya Pradesh, who suffered a heart attack and died in the Nashik Civil Hospital, hospital sources said. Pusha Tanna (75) fell in the Ramkund area due to 'giddiness' and later died at the same hospital.

Two others - Kalu Bhikaji Jogram (20) and an unidentified 40-year-old man - died after drowning in the Ramkund area, police said.

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