Key Highlights:
- Deadly Stampede: A midnight stampede during Mauni Amavasya—the holiest bathing day at the Maha Kumbh left 30 dead and 90 injured, with five victims unidentified.
- Crowd Mismanagement: Failure to utilize 84 holding areas and sending crowds toward Sangam after 8 PM led to dangerous overcrowding.
- Infrastructure Breakdown: Critical flaws in one-way exit plans, closed pontoon bridges, and poor barricading exacerbated chaos.
- Delayed Response: CISF forces stationed in Sector 10 arrived late to the accident site in Sector 3, worsening the crisis.
- Judicial Inquiry: UP officials announced a probe into administrative lapses, as survivors and families demand accountability.
Prayagraj: A night of spiritual devotion turned deadly at the Maha Kumbh Mela as a stampede during Mauni Amavasya the festival’s most sacred bathing day claimed 30 lives and left 90 injured early Tuesday. The tragedy, which unfolded near Sangam Nose, has exposed glaring gaps in crowd management, infrastructure, and emergency response, despite claims of preparedness by authorities.
The Incident: Chaos at Brahma Muhurta
The stampede erupted around 1:30 AM on Tuesday, hours before the Brahma Muhurta (auspicious pre-dawn period), as lakhs of devotees converged at the Triveni Sangam the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as overcrowding overwhelmed barricades, trapping pilgrims in a lethal surge.
DIG Vaibhav Krishna confirmed the death toll at a press conference, stating 25 victims have been identified, while forensic teams work to trace the families of the remaining five.
Five Critical Failures Behind the Tragedy
1. Crowd Mismanagement: Holding Areas Ignored
Despite designating 84 holding zones to stagger pilgrim movement, authorities directed devotees from Kali Marg parking and other sites toward Sangam after 8 PM. By 9 PM, massive crowds had already gathered, sitting for hours in anticipation of the holy dip.
2. One-Way Exit Plan Collapsed
A one-way traffic system pilgrims entering via Kali Sadak and exiting through Akshayvat Marg failed as most ignored exit routes. Instead, thousands bottlenecked at Sangam Upper Marg, causing deadly congestion.
3. Pontoon Bridges Closed Indefinitely
Of the 30 pontoon bridges built to ease foot traffic, 12–13 remained closed. Pilgrims, especially the elderly, faced exhausting detours, leading many to rest at Sangam Nose and worsen crowding.
4. Administrative Arbitrariness
Despite widened roads, most were barricaded or closed, forcing devotees to walk long distances. Fatigued pilgrims settled along the banks, creating choke points.
5. Delayed CISF Response
CISF teams stationed in Sector 10 struggled to navigate the chaos, arriving late to Sector 3 where the stampede occurred. Survivors allege delayed medical aid exacerbated casualties.
Judicial Probe Ordered Amid Public Outrage
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced a judicial inquiry to investigate lapses, while the Uttar Pradesh government pledged ₹25 lakh compensation to victims’ families. However, critics argue systemic issues—poor planning, underutilized infrastructure, and unlearned lessons from past Kumbh tragedies remain unaddressed.
Bhola Prasad, a survivor, lamented:
“We came for salvation, not slaughter. How could such a sacred event turn into a death trap?”
Maha Kumbh’s Troubled Legacy
The Maha Kumbh, touted as the world’s largest religious gathering, has a history of stampedes, including a 2013 Allahabad incident that killed 36. Despite technological interventions like AI crowd analytics, this year’s event saw 8–10 crore pilgrims, overwhelming Prayagraj’s infrastructure.
The Road Ahead
With the Kumbh continuing until February 26, authorities have:
- Deployed 5,000 additional police and RAF personnel.
- Reopened closed pontoon bridges and revised exit routes.
- Instituted real-time crowd monitoring to prevent repeat incidents.
Faith Tested by Failure
The Maha Kumbh tragedy underscores the perilous gap between spiritual aspirations and administrative execution. As families mourn their loved ones, the judicial inquiry’s findings will be pivotal in restoring trust. For now, the Sangam’s sacred waters bear witness to a night where devotion collided with negligence a stark reminder that faith alone cannot avert disaster without foresight and accountability.
