Opposition Accuses UP Government of Hiding True Death Toll in Maha Kumbh Stampede; Cites BBC Report

The Opposition has launched a scathing attack on the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh, accusing it of concealing the actual death toll from the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on January 29. The allegations are based on a BBC Hindi investigative report which claims that at least 82 people died in the stampede, a figure far higher than the officially acknowledged toll of 37.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi drew a parallel between the Kumbh tragedy and other instances of alleged data suppression by the union government. “BBC report reveals that figures of deaths in Kumbh Mela stampede were hidden. Like in COVID, the bodies of the poor were erased from the statistics. Like after every major railway accident the truth is suppressed,” he wrote. “This is the BJP model — if there is no counting of the poor, then there is no accountability either!” added Rahul Gandhi.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also joined the chorus of criticism, directly accusing the BJP of “systematic cover-ups.” “Everything is not foreign propaganda. Usually it is just this govt’s lies,” she posted on X. “Govt said 3 lakh Covid deaths in 2021, actual number was 20 lakhs more. Claimed 37 Kumbh stampede deaths but new @BBC shows 82 deaths. No accountability, only spin,” Moitra added.

Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav also cited the BBC report to attack the state government. “No information management can stop the truth from coming out,” Yadav posted on X. He asserted that those providing “false statistics” are not worthy of public trust.

He further raised serious concerns about the manner in which compensation was distributed to families of the victims. “Why was compensation paid in cash? What was the source of the cash? Where did the undistributed cash go? Under which rule was cash distribution approved? Who authorised the cash payments? Is there any written order backing the disbursement?” he asked.

The Congress party also accused the government of prioritising optics over accountability. “Why is the BJP more concerned about its image than the deaths of people?” the party questioned in a public statement.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress reiterated its stand, saying, “They hid the true death count to protect their image and cover up their criminal negligence,” in a post on X, while sharing the BBC report.

At the heart of the controversy is the investigative report by BBC Hindi, which challenges the official death toll of 37. According to the report, at least 82 people died in the stampede during the sacred Mauni Amavasya bath at the Sangam on the night of January 28–29. The BBC’s findings are based on months-long fieldwork, during which their team travelled to 11 states and over 50 districts, speaking to more than 100 families affected by the incident.

The report categorises the deceased into three groups: those included in the official toll who received ₹25 lakh compensation; those not officially counted but whose families were given ₹5 lakh; and those who received no compensation at all. The investigation also pointed to serious irregularities in how compensation was distributed and how victims were recorded.

The stampede occurred between 1:30 and 2:00 AM during the peak pilgrimage period, when a barricade reportedly collapsed, triggering panic among the lakhs of devotees gathered for the Amrit Snan. More than 60 people were injured.

Despite mounting political pressure, the Uttar Pradesh government has not yet issued a formal response to the BBC’s findings. However, opposition parties have indicated that they will take the issue up in Parliament and before the public to demand accountability.​