Stampede in Mahakumbh, many feared dead, scores injured
LUCKNOW: Many devotees are feared dead as a stampede took place at the Sangam nose in Mahakumbh in Prayagraj as a massive crowd of devotees had converged to take part in second Amrit Snan on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya on early Wednesday morning.
However, the Mela administration had not confirmed the casualties till the filing of this report.
Ambulances were quickly dispatched and the injured were rushed to central hospital inside the Mela premises for medical intervention.
According to local sources, some women devotees got suffocated in the massive crowd and fell to the ground when a barricade was broken leading to the stampede.
In light of the recent incident, the Akharas have decided to postpone the Amrit Snan programme.
Ravindra Puri, the chief of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), confirmed that the Mauni Amavasya Snan will be rescheduled, with the third Amrit Snan now set to take place on Basant Panchami, February 3.
Speaking from the Niranjani Akhara, Puri stated that in response to the stampede, the Akharas have opted to refrain from taking the holy dip and will instead return to their camps, as the movement of the Akhara procession could potentially exacerbate the situation.
After the announcement by the Akhara Parishad chief, the Nirwani Akhara recalled its procession of seers back to the camp.
Similarly, the Juna Akhara also decided not to allow its procession to proceed following the decision to cancel the Snan
Owing to the pressure of the swelling crowd, the mela and Prayagraj district administrations halted the entry of devotees into the Mela premises and sent them back.
Meanwhile, a relief and rescue operation was underway, with approximately 40 ambulances ferrying the injured from the incident site to the central hospital.
The large congregation of people at the ghats made it challenging for the administration to manage the situation. Announcements were made over the public address system urging devotees to vacate the ghats.
Authorities had anticipated around 10 crore people at the Sangam for the Amrit Snan, and the state had already implemented heightened security and crowd management measures.
A seven-tier security system was set up, with the administration directing devotees to return from the ghats where they arrived to take a dip, rather than allowing them to proceed to the Mela ground.
Rescue operation underway after a stampede occurred on 'Mauni Amavasya' during the ongoing 'Maha Kumbh Mela' festival, in Prayagraj, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Several casualties have allegedly been reported during the stampede.
