Wed Jan 29 20:48:24 IST 2025: **Prayagraj Stampede Leaves 30 Dead During Kumbh Mela**
Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh – A massive stampede at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Mauni Amavasya resulted in the deaths of at least 30 people and injured over 60, officials confirmed. The incident occurred due to an overwhelming crowd gathered for the holy bath.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and announced a compensation of ₹25 lakh each to the families of the victims. He also spoke with the heads of various Akharas (religious orders) to coordinate relief efforts. The CM’s planned visit to Delhi has been postponed.
The Mela administration held a press conference to release the official figures of casualties and injuries. Several borders in Sonbhadra district were sealed as a precautionary measure due to the massive influx of pilgrims.
Sanjay Nishad, a politician, sparked controversy with comments downplaying the incident as a “minor event.” He later apologized, attributing his statement to a slip of the tongue.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and spoke to CM Adityanath multiple times to take stock of the situation. Home Minister Amit Shah also contacted the CM. The incident prompted several appeals to pilgrims, including a request from the DIG to avoid staying on the ghats overnight. Following the stampede, the Akhara Parishad announced that the holy dip would be postponed until the crowds dispersed. All special trains scheduled to arrive in Prayagraj were cancelled.
The incident also prompted calls for resignations from those responsible for the tragedy and raised questions about crowd management at the event, which saw an estimated 5.04 crore pilgrims take a dip by 2 pm. The UP government is coordinating with the central government on relief and rescue operations. The incident has cast a shadow over the ongoing Kumbh Mela, which is expected to draw tens of millions of pilgrims. Further investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the stampede and assign responsibility.
First Piper 