Mahakumbh DIG Vaibhav Krishna assured on Wednesday that the police are investigating the causes of the stampede-like situation that occurred early in the morning at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.
He stated that preparations for the Amrit Snan, which is about to begin, are in place and that the police and administration will provide assistance to the Akharas in their traditional processions.
“The Amrit Snan is about to begin, and everything will proceed traditionally. The police and administration will support the Akharas during their processions. The situation is under control. We are investigating the causes of this morning’s incident, which occurred due to a huge rush of devotees. We are expecting more than 10 crore devotees,” DIG Krishna explained.
SSP Kumbh Mela, Rajesh Dwivedi, added, “There was no stampede, only overcrowding, which led to some injuries. The situation is now fully under control, and there is no need to pay attention to rumors. The preparations for the Amrit Snan are complete, and several ghats have been developed to facilitate the devotees. People are taking a dip at the ghats without issues. I do not have exact numbers on casualties or injuries.”
The stampede-like situation unfolded as millions of devotees gathered at the Triveni Sangam to take a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, which marks the second Shahi Snan of the Maha Kumbh. Several devotees were injured in the chaos, but the situation has been brought under control.
Meanwhile, despite the brief halt following the incident, saints resumed their journey to the Triveni Sangam in smaller processions to take part in the second Amrit Snan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to the victims’ families and wished for the swift recovery of the injured. “The accident in Prayagraj during the Mahakumbh is deeply saddening. My heartfelt condolences go out to the devotees who have lost their loved ones. I wish for the speedy recovery of those injured. The local administration is doing everything it can to assist the victims. I have spoken with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and am in constant contact with the state government,” PM Modi said in a statement on X.
Both Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have assured Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of full support from the Centre in managing the situation.
According to the Uttar Pradesh government, over 36.1 million devotees had taken the holy dip at Triveni by 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Key dates for the remaining Maha Kumbh include February 3 (Basant Panchami), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).
