A stampede at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Wednesday may have killed 30 people. The exact number is awaited at the time of this article being published. The incident occurred when installed barriers broke as tens of thousands of people thronged the Triveni Sangam on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, the day of the ‘second Shahi Snan’.
A media outlet reported: “Video and photographs after the stampede showed bodies being taken away on stretchers and people sitting on the ground crying, while others stepped over a carpet of discarded clothes, shoes, backpacks and blankets left by people as they tried to escape the stampede.”
Eye witnesses told the news agency that devotees began falling on one another when there was a massive rush close to the confluence of the three rivers, Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, where a holy dip is thought to be most hallowed.
The Akharas (monastic orders) declared that today’s Amrit Snan was cancelled. But, even as crowds shrunk following the stampede, Ravindra Puri, president of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, confirmed that the Akharas would proceed as planned.
Ambulances were rushed in Prayagraj and the injured were swiftly shifted to a makeshift hospital in Sector 2 of Kumbh. Authorities urged devotees to vacate the spot after taking a dip in the Sangam.
The stampede occurred around 2 am, amidst a tightly packed crowd converging at the Sangam and other ghats spread along the 12-kilometre stretch of riverbank designated for the Maha Kumbh. Eyewitnesses told the media that many visitors were nursing injuries and that multiple families were split up.
According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and is closely monitoring developments. He is providing guidance on ensuring a return to normalcy and facilitating relief efforts.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health Minister JP Nadda also spoke to Adityanath assuring assistance from the central government.
The UP CM urged followers to avoid going to Sangam Nose, the scene of the stampede, and instead take the holy bath at the closest ghat in the Ganga.
Many ghats have been constructed for the holy dip, he said, and he asked everyone to work with the administration, follow its directives, and ignore rumours.
On the occasion of Mauni Amavasya on Wednesday, it was anticipated that over 10 crore devotees will take a sacred bath at the Triveni Sangam. The most auspicious day for devotees to take a holy dip in the Ganga is Mauni Amavasya.
Kumbh Mela has a history of stampedes. In 1954, in the first Kumbh Mela after Independence, nearly 800 people were trampled to death. According to the archives, a stampede claimed at least 200 lives.
When thousands of pilgrims gathered at the Godavari River for the sacred plunge during the Kumbh Mela in Nashik, Maharashtra, in 2003, another stampede killed hundreds. It claimed the lives of at least 39 people, including women, and injured over 100.
In 2013, during the Kumbh Mela, a footbridge fell, causing widespread panic and a stampede at the Allahabad railway station. Forty-two people reportedly died and forty-five were injured in the catastrophe.
Also Read: Stampede at Maha Kumbh Mela: 15 Feared Dead as Devotees Gather at Sangam