Maha Kumbh Stampede: 30 Deaths Confirmed By Administration; 25 Bodies Identified

Maha Kumbh Stampede: The tragedy occurred as crores of pilgrims crowded the area, striving for space to take a holy dip on the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya.

Up to 30 people lost their lives, and dozens were injured in a pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh early Wednesday. The tragedy occurred as crores of pilgrims crowded the area, striving for space to take a holy dip on the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya. Prayagraj DIG Vaibhav Krishna said that a huge crowd gathered on the Akhara Marg before Brahma Muhurta, between 1 am to 2 am and due to the overcrowding, the barricades on the other side broke and the crowd ran over the devotees waiting to take a holy dip of Brahma Muhurta on the other side.

"About 90 people were taken to the hospital through ambulances but unfortunately, 30 devotees have died. Out of these 30, 25 have been identified and the rest are yet to be identified. These include 4 people from Karnataka, 1 from Assam, 1 from Gujarat...36 people are being treated at the local medical college. At present, the situation is normal. Keeping in mind the convenience of the devotees, CM Yogi Adityanath has requested all the Mahamandaleshwar, Saints, Akharas to take a holy dip with some delay...Amrit Snan of the Akharas have been concluded safely," said DIG Krihna.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended their deepest condolences to the devotees who lost their loved ones in the stampede, calling the tragedy extremely heartbreaking.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the incident took place between 1 am and 2 am when some devotees climbed over the barricades at Akhara marg. "Between 1 am to 2 am, at the akhara route where arrangements were made for the Amrit Snan of the akharas, some devotees crossed over the barricades and were critically injured. They were immediately rushed to hospital where treatment was promptly ensured," he said after a high-level meeting in Lucknow.

Eyewitnesses said the stampede happened due to a sudden rush of pilgrims at the Sangam, as many wanted to take a holy dip at 3 AM, the start of the auspicious hour.

The traditional Amrit Snan of the akharas was delayed after the incident but resumed in the afternoon. By 5 PM, nearly six crore devotees had taken a dip. Around 2 AM, the sound of ambulance and police sirens filled the air, cutting through the continuous chants from loudspeakers across the Kumbh Mela.

The injured were taken to the central hospital in the Mela area, where their relatives, along with senior officials, also gathered.