 "Maha Kumbh stampede: Seer questions 'prioritising' of VIPs over public")
Tragedy struck the Maha Kumbh mela on Wednesday as a stampede-like situation at the Sangam raised fears of multiple casualties. Religious leader Mahamandleshwar Premanand Puri criticised the authorities, accusing them of prioritising VIPs over public safety. Check the latest updates: Kumbh Mela stampede LIVE updates
The chaos unfolded on Mauni Amavasya, the most auspicious day of the festival, as millions of pilgrims gathered for a holy dip. In response to the incident, the Akharas—monastic orders that lead the grand rituals—called off their traditional Amrit Snan, although thousands of devotees continued taking dips at the ghats.
Administration under fire
Premanand Puri criticised the authorities, saying they were "busy catering to VIPs instead of ensuring proper crowd management."
"I personally witnessed how every VIP was attended to, while the preparations for the Kumbh were ignored," he was quoted as saying by The Hindustan Times.
Puri also reiterated the Akharas' long-standing demand to hand over Maha Kumbh management to the Indian Army. "If the Kumbh had been managed by the Indian Army, this tragedy wouldn’t have happened. There are enough people willing to serve selflessly in our country. I am deeply saddened."
Barrier breaks, panic ensues
Akanksha Rana, Officer on Special Duty at the Maha Kumbh, confirmed that a barrier collapse at the Sangam led to injuries. "Some people have been hospitalised. We are yet to determine the exact number of injured," she said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally reviewed the situation in a phone call with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, instructing immediate relief and rescue efforts.
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The Amrit Snan of Mauni Amavasya, the spiritual pinnacle of the Maha Kumbh, was expected to draw nearly 100 million pilgrims. This year’s event held even greater significance due to the rare celestial alignment called Triveni Yog, a phenomenon occurring once every 144 years.
A holy day marred by tragedy
As devotees chanted mantras in the early hours of Wednesday, the atmosphere shifted at around 2 am. Sirens of ambulances and police vehicles pierced the air, drowning out the hymns as emergency teams rushed to the Sangam.
The injured were transported to a central hospital within the Mela premises. Families of victims flooded the facility, desperate for updates. Among them was Sarojini from Karnataka, weeping outside the hospital. "We came in a batch of 60, and I was with nine others in my group. Suddenly, there was pushing from all sides. We got trapped. Many fell, and then everything spiraled out of control," she recalled.
"There was no way to escape. People were pressing from all directions," she told news agency PTI.
Another man from Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, shared that his mother had been injured and was receiving treatment. A married couple from Meghalaya, visibly shaken, described their ordeal of being caught in the stampede before managing to pull away.
A distraught mother, whose child suffered injuries in the chaos, broke down in front of reporters. "There was nowhere to go. Some people in the crowd were laughing while we begged them to be kind to the children."
Devotees were advised caution
On Tuesday, anticipating an overwhelming influx of pilgrims, the authorities issued an advisory urging visitors to follow safety protocols. Devotees were instructed to use designated lanes, maintain order at barricades, and avoid lingering at the ghats after bathing.
"All ghats at the Sangam are equally sacred," the advisory stated, encouraging pilgrims to take their holy dip at the first available ghat instead of crowding specific locations.
(With agency inputs)