Mon Feb 03 08:44:33 UTC 2025: **Supreme Court Rejects Plea to Investigate Maha Kumbh Stampede**
**Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, February 3, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India on Monday refused to hear a petition seeking an investigation into the stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on January 29, 2025, which resulted in at least 30 deaths and 60 injuries.
Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, heading a bench with Justice Sanjay Kumar, deemed the incident “unfortunate” but directed petitioner advocate Vishal Tiwari to approach the Allahabad High Court instead. The court noted that the Uttar Pradesh government had already established a three-member judicial commission to investigate the tragedy.
Tiwari’s petition urged the Supreme Court to order the state government to submit a status report on the incident and initiate legal action against those responsible for negligence. It also called for nationwide safety measures and guidelines for large religious gatherings, suggesting the establishment of aid and facilitation centers at future Kumbh Melas and inter-state coordination for emergency medical support.
The stampede occurred in the Sangam area during the Mauni Amavasya festival, as millions of pilgrims crowded to take a holy dip.
First Piper 