Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday extended his condolences to the devotees who lost their loved ones in the stampede-like situation at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj and wished for the quick recovery of those injured.
“The incident at Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh is deeply saddening. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the devotees who lost their lives. I also pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured. The local administration is actively working to assist the victims in every way possible. I have spoken to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and remain in constant contact with the state government,” PM Modi said on X.
The stampede-like situation occurred in the early hours of Wednesday as millions of devotees gathered at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers for a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, which is also the day of the Second Shahi Snan.
In response to the incident, Rajesh Dwivedi, SSP Kumbh Mela, clarified, “There was no stampede, just overcrowding which resulted in some injuries. The situation is completely under control. There is no need to believe in rumors. The Amrit Snan will begin shortly, and all preparations are in place. Many ghats have been developed, and devotees are comfortably taking dips at these locations.” Dwivedi also stated that casualty and injury numbers were not available at that time.
Following the incident, both Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached out to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, offering full support from the Centre.
CM Yogi Adityanath also provided updates on the situation, stating, “Around 8 to 10 crore devotees are in Prayagraj today. The movement of devotees towards the Sangam Nose has caused pressure, and a few devotees suffered injuries when attempting to cross barricades on Akhara Marg. The injured have been shifted to hospitals for treatment.”
While the situation remained under control, the Chief Minister urged devotees to avoid crowding at the Sangam Ghat. “The saints from different Akharas have advised devotees to take a holy dip at the nearest ghats. Once the crowd size reduces, the Akharas will proceed with their dips. I request devotees not to pay attention to rumors and to use the other ghats that have been set up for this purpose,” he added.
As of 10 am Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh government reported that 36.1 million devotees had already taken their holy dip at Triveni. The Maha Kumbh is set to continue with other significant dates, including February 3 (Basant Panchami), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).
