Updated 23:21 IST, January 29th 2025

Maha Kumbh Stampede: Did Barricade Breach Trigger Stampede That Killed 30? Judicial Probe Ordered

Maha Kumbh Chaos: Video Shows Barricades Breached Before Deadly Stampede, Probe Initiated.

Reported by: Digital Desk
Edited by: Surabhi Shaurya
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Maha Kumbh Chaos: Video Shows Barricades Breached Before Deadly Stampede, Probe Initiated. | Image: X

Prayagraj (UP): At least 30 people lost their lives, and 60 others sustained injuries in a pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh, the world’s largest religious gathering in Prayagraj on Wednesday. Confirming the number of fatalities, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Kumbh, Vaibhav Krishna, while addressing a presser said that while 25 of the deceased have been identified, efforts are underway to ascertain the identities of the remaining 5 victims. 

"30 people have died in the stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. So far, 25 bodies have been identified, and five remain unidentified," Mishra told reporters. Among the deceased, four are from Karnataka, one from Assam and one from Gujarat, the DIG said, adding that 36 people were being treated at a local medical college. 

Barricades Breached — What Triggered The Deadly Chaos That Killed 30

Republic World has accessed an exclusive video showing a massive crowd breaking through police barricades as they proceed toward Sangam. The footage captures chaotic scenes of police struggling to hold the barricades intact while the crowd forcefully pushes forward, overwhelming security arrangements.   

Meanwhile, sharing details of the incident, DIG Krishna said that the stampede occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning when a huge crowd on the Akhara Marg broke the barricade to take a holy dip. Before Brahma Muhurta, between 1 am to 2 am, a huge crowd gathered on the Akhara Marg. Due to this crowd, the barricades on the other side broke and the crowd ran over the devotees waiting to take a holy dip on the other side. About 90 people were taken to the hospital through ambulances but unfortunately, 30 devotees have died…” he said.   

CM Yogi Gets Emotional While Talking About The Tragedy, Orders Judicial Probe 

"The incident is heart-wrenching. We express our deepest condolences to all those families who lost their loved ones. We have been in constant touch with the administration since last night. The Mela Authority, Police, Administration, NDRF, SDRF and all other arrangements that could be made have been deployed there", said UP CM Yogi while speaking to reporters.

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh each to kin of deceased and ordered judicial probe into the incident. "We are also announcing financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased who have lost their lives in the accident on behalf of the state government. The judicial commission will look into the entire matter and submit its report to the state government within a time limit. In this regard, the Chief Secretary and the DGP will themselves visit Prayagraj once and look into all those issues if required...", CM Yogi said.

For judicial inquiry, Yogi said, the UP govt has formed a 3-member judicial commission headed by Justice Harsh Kumar, former DG VK Gupta and retired IAS DK Singh.

"We have been monitoring the entire incident from the Chief Minister's control room, the Chief Secretary's control room, and the DGP's control room throughout the day. Meetings went on throughout the day and there was continuous communication with the administration regarding the incidents. Since the morning, we have been receiving necessary guidelines from Prime Minister, Home Minister, National President JP Nadda, Railway Minister, Governor and others...", he added. 

Green Corridor "Helped Save Lives"

The Uttar Pradesh government said "prompt medical services" and a "green corridor" created for such emergencies "restricted" the damage. In a statement, the UP government said that more than 50 ambulances rushed "within two to three minutes by creating a green corridor to rescue people affected in the incident. More than 100 rounds were made by ambulances to save people's lives." Doctors also reached the spot within two to three minutes, it added.

Dr Gaurav Dubey, the nodal medical officer of the Maha Kumbh Mela area, said specialist doctors treated the injured with promptness. "The emergency ambulance service of the Yogi (Adityanath) government played a big role in this. After the accident, ambulances were sent to the site at full speed by creating a green corridor. Within just two to three minutes, expert doctors and medical team reached the spot and started first aid," he was quoted as saying in the statement.

"After providing first aid to the injured at the scene, the seriously injured were taken to the Central Hospital where they were treated. Some patients were shifted to Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital or Tej Bahadur Sapru Chikitsalaya (Bailey Hospital)," the goverment said in its statement issued on Wednesday evening.

The UP government added that the green corridor "helped save lives". Over 1,000 medical staff were at the hospitals to help the injured, it stated further. 

Blame Game Begins 

The Samajwadi Party and Congress slammed the UP government's arrangements for the Maha Kumbh. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said the government's "claims of making world-class arrangements" were "false propaganda".

"The administration and management of the Maha Kumbh should be immediately handed over to the Army instead of the UP government," he posted on X.

The Congress hit out at the Centre and the state government, with party leader Rahul Gandhi saying that mismanagement and the administration's special focus on VIP movement instead of common devotees were responsible for the stampede.

57.1 Million Devotees Take Holy Dip On Mauni Amavasya

On the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, over 57.1 million devotees took a sacred dip in the Triveni waters, according to an official statement from the Uttar Pradesh Information Department. The ongoing religious event has seen an extraordinary display of faith, with millions converging at the Triveni Sangam to observe this auspicious day dedicated to spiritual purification and devotion.

Adding to the fervor, more than 1 million Kalpwasis, who undertake month-long spiritual austerities, have joined the gathering. With this, the total footfall for the ongoing Magh Mela has now exceeded 199.4 million.

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For the unversed, the Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, started on Jan. 13. Authorities expect more than 400 million people to throng the pilgrimage site in total. Nearly 150 million people have already attended, including Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah and celebrities like Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

A sprawling tent city has been built on the riverbanks to accommodate the millions of visitors, with roads, electricity and water, 3,000 kitchens and 11 hospitals.

About 50,000 security personnel are stationed in the city to maintain law and order and manage crowds, and more than 2,500 cameras monitor crowd movement and density so officials can try to prevent such crushes.

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Published 20:11 IST, January 29th 2025