At least 30 people died and 60 others were injured after a ‘stampede-like’ situation broke out at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj early Wednesday after a l𒈔arge number of pilgrims turned up to take a dip in Sangam on the occasion of ‘Mauni Amavasya’.
The incident occurred around 2 am and Maha Kumbh D🔯IG Vaibhav Krishna gave the details of the casualties at a press conference in Prayagraj in the evening.
Later in the night, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced a three-member judicial commission, comprising Justice Harsh Kumar, former DG VK Gupta and retd IAS VK Singh to look into the reasons behind the stampede. He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh each𓄧 for the kin of the deceased.
Police Announces Details Of Casualties In Stampede
"The incid🐽ent took place due to the pressure of the crowd. The crowd broke barricades and jumped to the other side, crushing those waitingཧ there. Over 90 injured were rushed to the hospital, of whom 30 died," he said.
The officer said 25 of the deceased have been identified. Four of them are from Karnataka and one each from﷽ Assam and Gujarat.
Among those injured, 36 are undergoing treatmꦉent at the hospi🥂tal and the rest have been sent with their families.
Following the incident, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri said that the seers have called🐟 off their Mauni Amavasya’s Amrit Snan temporarily. Again aro🍬und the afternoon, the Akhadas resumed holy dips. Reportedly, over seven and half crore devotees took a dip Wednesday.
What Did UP CM Yogi Adityanath And Other Police Officials Say?
UP CM Yogi Adityanath stated, "It is important to get to the bottom of the whole episode on how such a tragedy occurred," as he announced an in-depth probe into the tragic incident. He added that the🐲 chief secretary and DGP would visit the Maha𒁃 Kumbh on Thursday for the probe.
DIG Krishna said barricades𒐪 have been placed in the mela and akhara areas for lane management but they gave way under the pressure of the jostling.
As the barricades bꦿroke, people fell on those sitting and waiting for taking the holy dip during the 'brahm muhurt' (early morning time considered auspicious to perform certai🅠n activities), he said.
Many ordinary people, including women and children, fell down 🔴and were crushed.
The officer said the government has issue💝d strict directives there will be no VIP protocol in the mela now onwards.
As per the tradition, Akharas belonging to the three sects 'Sanyasi, Bairagi, and Ud🎐aseen' take the holy dip in a set sequence following a procession to the Sangam Ghat on special bathing dates like the Mauni Amavasya, which are marked by special celestial alignments and considered holy among Hindus.
However, with the situation now under control, the Ma🌄uni Amavasya’s Amrit Snan has been resumed.
On Tuesday, a day before the Mauni Amavasya, nearly 5 crore people reached for the dip during the fair, according to estimates of the Uttar Pradesh government, which e🐽xpects the crowd to be around 1ไ0 crore on Wednesday.
“We came in a batch of 60 people in two buses, we were nine people in the group. Suddenly there was pushing in the crowd, and we got trapped. A lot of us fell down and the crowd went uncontrolled. There was no chance for escape, there was pushing from all sides,” Sarojini from Karnataka told PTI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation in a call with Uttar Pradesh Chief 🍃Minister Yogi Adityanath and called for immediate support measures.
Meanwhile, spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur requested people not to insist on taking a bath at Sangam only. “... I did not go to the Sangam Ghat because the size of the crowds over there is massive... I appeal to the people that not insist on taking a bath at the Sangam Ghat only. The entire Ganga and Yamuna rivers are 'Amrit' right now…,” he s🍎aid.
The Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya is the most significant ritual of the Maha Kumbh and is expected to d🥂raw around 10 crore pilgrims. Thi﷽s year, a rare celestial alignment called 'Triveni Yog' is occurring after 144 years, amplifying the spiritual significance of the day.
It is believed that taking a dip in the Triveni Sangam during Maha Kumbh and ဣparticularly on special bathing dates like Mauni Amavasya washes away people’s sins and provides them ‘moks𝔍ha’ or salvation.
