Mysuru: On the last day of the three-day Kumbha Mela at Triveni Sangama in T. Narasipur taluk in the district yesterday, there was a heavy rush of devotees, who broke the barricades at all the three bathing ghats, to take the holy dip.

The District Administration had set up three bathing ghats near Agasthyeshwara Temple, Gunja Narasimhaswamy Temple and Bhiksheshwara Temple at the banks of Triveni Sangama. The barricades were installed to prevent devotees from going till the middle of the river. However, with a large number of devotees descending on the Triveni Sangama, the Police had a tough time in managing the crowd, who broke through the barricades to take a holy dip in the river.

Apart from the bathing ghats, the devotees, who came in groups, were seen taking a dip along the course of the river. The Police and Fire and Emergency Services personnel were warning them about the safety measures, before taking them on the dinghy and drop them at the river bank.

Following the rush of devotees, the algae that had deposited in the bottom of the river had risen above, floating in water, changing the colour of the water. The devotees were seen reaching the sand dune in the middle of the river, by holding hands and returning to the bank, after taking a dip.

All the efforts made by the Police to prevent devotees from going till sand dune, went in vain. The enthusiastic devotees didn’t pay any heed to the words  of the Police.

Thousands of devotees had gathered on the steps of Agasthyeshwara Temple waiting for their turn to take the holy dip that was leading to a rush, with the heavy influx of devotees, forcing the Police to intervene and control the devotees by  removing the barricades.