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Mahakumbh Stampede: Atleast 30 Killed and 60 Injured During Mauni Amavasya Holy Dip
At least 30 people were killed and 60 others injured in a stampede that occurred during the wee hours of Wednesday morning at the Mahakumbh gathering in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The incident took place between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. at the Sangam Ghat area.
As of now, 25 of the deceased have been identified, while efforts to identify the remaining five continue. Many of the injured have been hospitalised, and rescue operations are ongoing. According to DIG Vaibhav Krishna, the stampede occurred when a large crowd broke through barricades, causing chaos and resulting in multiple casualties.
"At least 30 people have lost their lives and 60 others have been injured in the stampede at the Maha Kumbh venue in Prayagraj," said Vaibhav Krishna. He further explained that the stampede occurred during the Mauni Amavasya ritual, an auspicious event during the Mahakumbh, when thousands of pilgrims gather to take a holy dip.
The news of the stampede initially surfaced through social media and local reports, with many residents of Prayagraj sharing updates about the tragedy. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also commented on the incident, stating that some of the devotees who were injured were "seriously" hurt. "The incident took place between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. when some devotees climbed over the barricades at Akhara marg," he said.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah offered their condolences to the bereaved families. Several leaders from the opposition hit out the UP government, stating that the administration was "underprepared" to deal with such huge crowds.
In the aftermath of the stampede, the "amrit snan" ceremony, an important bathing ritual for the akharas, was delayed but eventually resumed at 2:30 p.m. The procession, which was led by Mahant Ravindra Puri, the head of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad, was notably more subdued than usual.
Following the stampede, security personnel and rescue workers were seen transporting the injured, while personal belongings of the victims, including bags and blankets, were scattered around the scene.
