Tragedy struck the Maha Kumbh mela on Wednesday as a stampede-like situation at the Sangam raised fears of multiple casualties. Dainik Bhaskar reported that over 20 persons have died. Religious leader Mahamandleshwar Premanand Puri criticised the authorities, accusing them of prioritising VIPs over public safety.
The chaos unfolded on Mauni Amavasya, the most auspicious day of the festival, as millions of pilgrims gathered for a holy dip. In response to the incident, the Akharas—monastic orders that lead the grand rituals—called off their traditional Amrit Snan, although thousands of devotees continued taking dips at the ghats.
Premanand Puri criticised the authorities, saying they were “busy catering to VIPs instead of ensuring proper crowd management.”
“I personally witnessed how every VIP was attended to, while the preparations for the Kumbh were ignored,” he was quoted as saying by The Hindustan Times.
Puri also reiterated the Akharas’ long-standing demand to hand over Maha Kumbh management to the Indian Army. “If the Kumbh had been managed by the Indian Army, this tragedy wouldn’t have happened. There are enough people willing to serve selflessly in our country. I am deeply saddened.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally reviewed the situation in a phone call with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, instructing immediate relief and rescue efforts.
The Amrit Snan of Mauni Amavasya, the spiritual pinnacle of the Maha Kumbh, was expected to draw nearly 100 million pilgrims. This year’s event held even greater significance due to the rare celestial alignment called Triveni Yog, a phenomenon occurring once every 144 years.
As devotees chanted mantras in the early hours of Wednesday, the atmosphere shifted at around 2 am. Sirens of ambulances and police vehicles pierced the air, drowning out the hymns as emergency teams rushed to the Sangam.
