New Delhi:
PM Narendra Modi has expressed condolences to the devotees who lost their lives in the stampede. In a post on X, PM Modi said, “The accident that happened in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh is extremely sad. My deepest condolences to the devotees who have lost their loved ones in this. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured. The local administration is engaged in helping the victims in every possible way. In this regard, I have spoken to Chief Minister Yogi ji and I am constantly in touch with the state government”
प्रयागराज महाकुंभ में हुआ हादसा अत्यंत दुखद है। इसमें जिन श्रद्धालुओं ने अपने परिजनों को खोया है, उनके प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं। इसके साथ ही मैं सभी घायलों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूं। स्थानीय प्रशासन पीड़ितों की हरसंभव मदद में जुटा हुआ है। इस सिलसिले में मैंने…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 29, 2025
On January 29, a stampede-like incident occurred during Mauni Amavasya at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, injuring approximately 50 devotees. As per reports, many are feared dead in this incident. However, the administration has not given any information about the number of dead or injured.
CM Yogi Adityanath has appealed to the people to exercise restraint. He said that devotees should not think of bathing only at Sangam. Ganga is sacred everywhere, they should bathe on the bank wherever they are. On the other hand, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the stampede has occurred due to VIP culture and government’s mismanagement.
Visuals from the Stampede
After the accident, more than 70 ambulances reached the Sangam coast. The injured and the dead were taken to the hospital by these. After the accident, NSG commandos took charge of the Sangam coast. Entry of common people was stopped in Sangam Nose area. To prevent the crowd from increasing, devotees have been stopped in the districts adjoining Prayagraj. The administration has been alerted there.
Today is the bath of Mauni Amavasya in Maha Kumbh, due to which about 9 crore devotees are expected to be present in the city. According to the administration, 8 to 10 crore devotees are expected to take a dip at 44 ghats including Sangam till late night today.
A day before this, on Tuesday, more than 5.5 crore devotees took a dip in the Sangam. More than 60 thousand soldiers are deployed for security in the entire city.
The chaos erupted about a kilometer from the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers when barricades collapsed, causing panic as millions of devotees gathered for the holy dip. In light of the situation, the Akharas temporarily suspended the event.
Eyewitness accounts described distressing scenes, with many women fainting amid the crowd surge. Those injured were quickly taken to a nearby hospital within the fairgrounds, while some with more serious injuries were transferred to Bailey Hospital and Swaroop Rani Medical College.
Jay Prakash Swami, who observed the event, recounted how a woman became trapped in the crowd, unable to get back up while he helped his family escape. Vidhya Sahu, who traveled from Belgavi, Karnataka, shared her experience of being pushed by the crowd, leading to a bottleneck near a pole.
In response to the incident, a crowd diversion plan was initiated, halting the entry of further devotees and stopping groups at the city’s outskirts.
The significance of the Amrit Snan this year is heightened due to the rare ‘Triveni Yog’ celestial alignment, which occurs only once every 144 years, attracting millions to participate. Authorities have increased security measures and urged attendees to exercise caution.