Tue Feb 04 14:51:54 IST 2025: **Samajwadi Party MP Accuses Government of Hiding Kumbh Stampede Death Toll**
**New Delhi, February 4, 2025** – Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav today accused the government of concealing the true number of deaths resulting from a stampede at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Speaking during the Lok Sabha’s budget session, Yadav demanded a full accounting of the casualties and disciplinary action against officials allegedly involved in a cover-up.
Yadav criticized the government’s handling of the event, claiming that the administration’s response was slow and insensitive. He alleged that the government ordered the postponement and then resumption of the “shahi snan” (royal bath), disrupting sacred traditions. He further alleged that bodies were removed using JCB machines and tractor trollies, and that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister was slow to express grief following the tragedy.
The MP called for an all-party meeting to review Kumbh Mela arrangements and urged the government to transfer disaster management and lost-and-found operations to the Army. He emphasized the need for transparency, demanding that the government reveal the exact number of deaths, injuries, and the availability of resources such as medical supplies, food, and transportation during the event. He stated that the government’s focus on “digital Kumbh” was overshadowed by its failure to adequately manage the event and account for the loss of life. Yadav’s accusations follow earlier concerns raised by the opposition regarding the accuracy of the reported death toll.
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