- PM Modi communicates with Adityanath regarding the Maha Kumbh stampede incident
MAHAKUMBH NAGAR, Jan 29: Authorities reported multiple casualties feared after a “stampede-like” situation ensued at the Sangam on Wednesday during the ongoing Maha Kumbh, as a large influx of pilgrims arrived for a holy bath on Mauni Amavasya.
In response to the incident, the Akharas canceled their customary ‘Amrit Snan’ for Mauni Amavasya, while a significant number of devotees continued to bathe at Sangam and other ghats within the Mela area.
Akanksha Rana, Officer on Special Duty for the Mela, stated, “Some individuals have been injured and hospitalized after a barrier collapsed at the Sangam. We are still determining the exact number of those injured.”
The Amrit Snan during Mauni Amavasya is a pivotal ritual of the Maha Kumbh, anticipated to attract around 10 crore pilgrims.
This year features a rare celestial alignment known as ‘Triveni Yog’, occurring for the first time in 144 years, which enhances the day’s spiritual importance.
Around 2 am, the sound of ambulances and police vehicles responding to the Sangam broke through the ongoing chants of mantras and shlokas resonating from loudspeakers across the Kumbh Mela area.
The injured were conveyed to the central hospital set up in the Mela area, where numerous relatives and senior administrative and police officials also gathered.
“We arrived in a group of 60 on two buses, including nine in our party. Suddenly, there was pushing in the crowd, and we became trapped. Many of us fell and the crowd surged uncontrollably,” remarked a tearful Sarojini from Karnataka outside the hospital.
“There was no way to escape; the pushing came from all directions,” she shared with PTI Videos.
A man from Chhattarpur in Madhya Pradesh recounted that his mother sustained injuries and was hospitalized, while a married couple from Meghalaya stepped away from the tumult, both in tears as they recounted their terrifying experience of being swept up in the chaos.
Another woman at the hospital, whose child suffered injuries amid the commotion, described, “There was nowhere to turn. Some who pushed us were laughing as we pleaded for compassion towards the children.”
The incident occurred around 2 pm on Wednesday, amidst tightly packed crowds converging at the Sangam and other ghats established along a 12-km stretch of riverbanks for the Maha Kumbh.
While ordinary devotees continued their holy baths post-incident, the Akharas (monastic orders) opted to forgo their traditional Amrit Snan for Mauni Amavasya.
“As you would’ve seen the events unfold in the morning, we have decided… All our saints and seers were prepared for the ‘snan’ when we received news of this incident. Therefore, we have chosen to cancel our ‘snan’ on ‘Mauni Amavasya’,” declared Mahant Ravindra Puri, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad.
According to Kumbh Mela tradition, Akharas affiliated with the three sects—‘Sanyasi, Bairagi, and Udaseen’—perform the holy dip in a designated order after an impressive procession to the Sangam Ghat.
The Triveni Sangam—where Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati converge—is the holiest site for Hindus, believed to cleanse individuals of their sins and grant them ‘moksha’ or salvation when one bathes in it during Maha Kumbh, particularly on auspicious bathing dates like Mauni Amavasya.
On Tuesday, anticipating the large influx of pilgrims, Mela authorities issued a directive encouraging devotees to adhere to crowd management protocols for safety and comfort.
Pilgrims were requested to utilize designated pathways to reach Sangam Ghat, maintain their designated lanes while approaching the bathing area, and refrain from lingering at ghats post-holy dip. They were urged to promptly move to parking areas or their destinations to facilitate smooth movement.
Visitors were reminded to exercise patience at barricades and pontoon bridges, avoiding any rushing or shoving to mitigate accidents. The administration underscored that “all ghats at Sangam hold equal sanctity”, advising devotees to “bathe at the first ghat they encounter to alleviate overcrowding”.
Being conducted after 12 years, the Maha Kumbh commenced on January 13 and will continue until February 26. The UP government, hosting the fair, anticipates an estimated attendance of around 40 crore pilgrims, marking the largest spiritual gathering globally.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assessed the situation at the Maha Kumbh during a discussion with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath following the stampede-like event, instructing for immediate support measures.
Modi is closely overseeing the situation and has spoken with Adityanath a couple of times thus far, according to official sources.
“PM Modi discussed the Kumbh Mela situation with Yogi Ji, reviewed recent developments, and called for prompt support measures,” an official stated. (Agencies)
