New Delhi:

Millions of devotees from across India have been visiting the ongoing Maha Kumbh mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj – one that is held every 12 years – causing a huge rush in trains and traffic on roads. A wave of stampede-like incidents and angry passengers breaking train windows as they were unable to board the train to Maha Kumbh amid the rush have come to light recently.

Last night, at least 18 people, including 11 women and five children, died after a huge crowd of passengers caused by two delayed trains and a special Express train to Maha Kumbh led to a stampede at the New Delhi Railway station.

While eyewitnesses claimed that the stampede took place after a rumour spread among people that the Prayagraj Express was going to arrive on a different platform, the Railway authorities have repeatedly denied it. Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, CPRO Northern Railway said that there was already a huge rush on the station’s platform when a passenger slipped on the nearby stairs, leading to the deadly stampede.

According to the official, platforms number 13 and 14 at the New Delhi Railway station were already crowded as many people were waiting to board two trains – Magdh Express and another going towards Jammu – which were delayed. Amid this, a special train for Maha Kumbh, the Prayagraj Express, was to leave at 10:10 pm from platform number 14. As the time for the train to Prayagraj neared, more and more people started gathering on the platform, adding to the existing rush. During this time, more than a thousand general tickets were bought by passengers to go to Maha Kumbh, officials said.

“Trains were not cancelled, and the platform was not changed. All trains have been running as per its schedule,” he said.

The Railways has also formed a two-member high-level committee to probe the incident. Narsingh Deo, Principal Chief Commercial Manager of Northern Railway and Pankaj Gangwar, Principal Chief Security Commissioner of Northern Railway are a part of the committee, officials said.

The committee, which has commenced its inquiry, gave orders to secure all video footage of the New Delhi Railway Station.

How Railways is managing Maha Kumbh rush in Prayagraj

As millions of people are visiting Prayagraj, the railway authorities have made extensive security measures across the city’s stations.

Shashikant Tripathi, CRPO of North Central Railway told NDTV that they have been maintaining protocol at all railway stations in the city. “Through these protocols, either on normal day rush or key days like ‘mauni amavasiya’, we have made a smooth entry and exit for passengers. With the help of colour-coded areas, we have helped the passengers board and deboard trains safely.”

According to him, they do not need to enforce any new protocols.

“We have been working well with these protocols. In the case of Prayagraj junction, we only allow the passengers to enter through the city side and the exit is done through civil lines side. We have 4 passenger sheds which are colour-coded and directions have been defined on them. Whenever the limit of passengers crosses at these sheds, we activate the Kusrow Bagh area – from where the passengers can travel. All basic amenities have also been provided at these locations,” he added.

Kolkata:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday raised concerns over the stampede in Maha Kumbh, alleging that the authorities in Uttar Pradesh are “not releasing the correct toll”.

Addressing a press conference after the state budget presentation in the West Bengal assembly, Banerjee expressed her frustration over the alleged non-release of the state’s dues by the Centre.

“So many people died in the Maha Kumbh incident, but they are not releasing the correct toll. They have created such hype that a large number of people visited Maha Kumbh but there were no proper arrangements made at the venue.” At least 30 people were killed and 60 others injured in a stampede that broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela last month.

“The Centre has failed to release Bengal’s legitimate dues,” Banerjee claimed, emphasising that the state government has been struggling to receive its rightful funds.

The chief minister also responded to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s comments on Bengal, claiming that these were “biased” and “not based on facts” “Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement against Bengal is biased and not based on facts,” Banerjee claimed.

Sitharaman on Tuesday lashed out at the ruling West Bengal dispensation, alleging that the Trinamool Congress has become a byword for exploitation and the party has institutionalised corruption and gutted institutions.

In her address, Banerjee accused the central government of making empty promises in the union budget.

“The central budget contains only promises. We allocate funds from our own revenue, and what we say in our budget, we deliver,” she stated, highlighting the stark contrast between the state’s approach and the Centre’s alleged unfulfilled commitments.

West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on Wednesday presented a Rs 3.89-lakh crore budget for 2025-26 with a significant focus on social welfare, and announced a four per cent hike in dearness allowance (DA) for state government employees.

Banerjee emphasised the importance of a strong and vibrant federal structure for the country.

“The country cannot be strong without a strong federal structure,” she asserted, underscoring her belief in the significance of state autonomy and a balanced relationship between the Centre and the states.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Rambhadracharya, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj attends Patta Abhishek ceremony of Mahant Gopaldas Ji Maharaja during Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, in Prayagraj, on February 1, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

In his first visit to the Maha Kumbh after the January 29 stampede, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Saturday praised the saints for “acting with such restraint” that day as he took a veiled potshot at political opponents, saying they tried to besmirch the glory of the mega event so that it “becomes a matter of great global embarrassment”.

He said this soon after conducting an aerial survey of pilgrim management measures at the Maha Kumbh venue ahead of the February 3 Basant Panchami Amrit snan.

Also read | At the Kumbh Mela, faith and fatalities

After landing in Prayagraj, he directly headed to Sangam Nose, the site of the stampede, to inspect it. He was briefed by Mela Officer Vijay Kiran Anand and DIG Vaibhav Krishna about the incident.

According to official figures, 30 people died and at least 60 were injured in the stampede on Mauni Amavasya.

“On the Mauni Amavasya day during the Amrit Snan, a tragedy unfolded here, and I must compliment the saints and seers on how, under testing circumstances, they acted with such restraint. Faced with the challenge that was there in front of all of us, as some ‘punyatma‘ [blessed souls] became victims of a ‘hadsa‘ [accident]. But the saints acted in much the same way then as a family elder reacts when their family is confronted with some problem,” Adityanath said while addressing a meeting of saints at the Maha Kumbh.

“The family elders remain patient whenever their family faces some challenge. Instead, the elders negotiate the challenge and ensure that the problem is resolved. You must have seen that some opponents of Sanatan Dharma were trying to test the patience of the saints so that the issue [stampede ahead of big Mauni Amavasya Amrit snan] becomes a matter of great global embarrassment,” he said.

The opposition has been criticising Adityanath’s government’s handling and management of the Maha Kumbh and has demanded that the Kumbh management be handed over to the Army.

It has also alleged that the government was concealing figures, a charge that ran parallel to some media reports about more than one stampede taking place at the Maha Kumbh on Wednesday.

“I would thus like to greatly appreciate all the saints that the saints paid homage to the blessed souls who lost their lives and also performed their religious obligations towards Ma Ganga and to ensure that the Maha Kumbh continued,” Mr. Adityanath said.

He was referring to the seers and all the 13 Akharas agreeing to postpone their early morning snan on Mauni Amavasya and taking the dip only when the crowd pressure decreased.

The seers also regularly appealed to the devotees to guard against panic and not to concentrate on taking a dip only at Sangam Nose.

Mr. Adityanath credited the saints for their actions and admitted that they have played a big role in the huge pilgrim turnout at the Maha Kumbh since January 13, when the Maha Kumbh that would continue till February 26 began.

“We would also have to guard against those who are trying to mislead (masses) – on all issues pertaining to Sanatan and never feel shy of conspiracy. And this is not just about now, but this trend has been continuing since the days of the Ram Janambhoomi agitation. The respected saints had witnessed their behaviour and character then and now too. We need to guard against such people. Till the time there is respect for saints, the Sanatan Dharma will remain, and this Dharma is essential for the survival of mankind,” he said.

“In the last 19 days, as many as 32 crore devotees have visited the Maha Kumbh. All those who have visited here are singing paeans about Sanatan Dharma, the arrangements, and other things. This is not praise of any individual but of the eternal Sanatan,” Adityanath said.

A government statement said Mr. Adityanath attended the dharma sabha programme organised for the ‘Pattabhishek’ of two revered saints in Sector 22.

Tulsi Peethadheeshwar Jagadguru Swami Ram Bhadracharya formally appointed Santosh Das Satua Baba and Swami Ram Kamalacharya as Jagadgurus.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Adityanath said, “You all are the pillars of Sanatan Dharma. This sacred mission must continue despite challenges, with patience and determination. Sanatan Dharma is the foundation of humanity – if it thrives, human values, humanity, and creation will endure.” He also reviewed the preparations for the upcoming Basant Panchami Amrit Snan and issued necessary instructions to ensure proper arrangements.

On his way back from the incident site, he interacted with thousands of devotees, personally approaching the barricades to check on their well-being.

The devotees greeted him with chants of “Har Har Mahadev,” “Jai Shri Ram,” and “Jai Ganga Maiya”, a government statement said.

30 people were killed and 60 others were injured.

Lucknow:

The three-member judicial commission set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to find the reasons behind the Maha Kumbh stampede has a month to wrap up its probe but will try to expedite it, panel head Harsh Kumar said on Thursday.

Harsh Kumar, a retired judge, also told PTI that the commission members would soon visit Prayagraj.

Harsh Kumar and panel members ex-Director General of Police (DGP) VK Gupta and retired IAS officer DK Singh reached the office assigned to them here and began their work on Thursday, an official statement said.

“We have taken charge within hours of the announcement as the probe has to be taken up on priority,” Mr Kumar told PTI.

Asked about the timeline for the probe, he said, “We have a one-month timeline but all the same, we will try to expedite it.” He said the commission members will soon visit Prayagraj. However, he did not say when they would visit.

Asked if the three members will be probing separate aspects, Mr Kumar said, “We will discuss this amongst ourselves. Can’t go into detail right now.” At least 30 people were killed and 60 injured in the pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh on Wednesday as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar.

According to police, the incident took place as the crowd jumped barricades, crushing those waiting on the other side.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Prayagraj:

A day after 30 people died and 60 others sustained injuries in a pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, the state government has introduced strict measures to prevent further incidents. The administration has implemented five major changes, including declaring the entire fair area a No-Vehicle Zone.

The tragedy occurred on Wednesday as millions of pilgrims attempted to reach the waters for a sacred dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Kumbh Mela.

According to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Maha Kumbh, Vaibhav Krishna, the stampede was triggered by pilgrims pushing against barricades in an attempt to reach the holy waters.

Here are the 5 key changes:

Complete No-Vehicle Zone: Entry of all types of vehicles is strictly prohibited in the Maha Kumbh fair area.

VVIP Passes Canceled: No special passes will allow vehicle entry, eliminating any exceptions.

One-Way Routes Implemented: A one-way traffic system has been enforced to streamline the movement of devotees.

Vehicle Entry Restricted: Vehicles arriving from neighbouring districts of Prayagraj are being stopped at district borders to reduce congestion.

Strict Restrictions Until February 4: Entry of four-wheelers into the city is completely banned until this date to maintain order.

To further strengthen crowd management efforts, IAS officers Ashish Goyal and Bhanu Goswami have been directed to reach Prayagraj immediately. Both bureaucrats played a key role in successfully managing the 2019 Ardh Kumbh along with Vijay Kiran. During that event, Bhanu Goswami served as the District Magistrate and Vice Chairman of the Kumbh Mela Authority, while Ashish Goyal was the Commissioner of Allahabad, overseeing the management.

Additionally, five special secretary-rank officers with previous experience in handling large-scale events have been assigned to assist with Maha Kumbh operations. 

Chief Minister’s Response 

Following the stampede, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued multiple guidelines focusing on crowd control, traffic management, and inter-departmental coordination. The Chief Minister ordered a review of the Maha Kumbh arrangements by the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP).

The ADG and the District Magistrate of Prayagraj have been directed to ensure a safe and smooth departure of all devotees from the city. 

In a late-night video conference, the Mr Adityanath addressed senior police officers and officials from multiple districts, including Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mirzapur, Basti, Jaunpur, and Rae Bareli, among others. 

Crowd Management Measures

With a large number of devotees present at railway stations across Prayagraj preparing to return home, Mr Adityanath instructed officials to coordinate closely with rail authorities. The Transport Corporation has been directed to deploy additional buses to accommodate the rush.

Holding areas have been set up at border points to manage crowd pressure within the fair area. Devotees will be allowed to proceed only when the situation permits. These areas will have adequate arrangements for food, drinking water, and uninterrupted electricity supply, the state government has assured. 

Increased patrolling and streamlined traffic flow have been mandated on major routes leading to Prayagraj, including those from Ayodhya, Kanpur, Fatehpur, Lucknow, Pratapgarh, and Varanasi.

Judicial Commission Set Up

A three-member judicial commission has been appointed to investigate the causes of the stampede. The panel comprises Justice Harsh Kumar, former Director General VK Gupta, and retired IAS officer VK Singh.

In addition to the judicial probe, the Chief Minister announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the families of those who died. 

The chief minister said a separate police inquiry would also be conducted into the whole issue.

Hardoi:

Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad on Wednesday expressed grief over the stampede in Mahakumbh Nagar and said “minor incidents” do happen in “such a big event”.

Sanjay Nishad is the chief of the Nishad party and fisheries minister in the Yogi Adityanath government.

“In such a big event and when there is such a huge crowd, minor incidents do happen,” he said while calling it sad.

He said Chief Minister Adityanath is looking into this matter. One should take a bath wherever one finds space and one should not believe in rumours, he added.

Asked about Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s allegation of mismanagement in Maha Kumbh, he said, he would not want to comment on it.

“The arrangements that have been made and the crowd that is there will not be anywhere else in the world. Where such big arrangements are made and such a huge crowd gathers, some small incidents take place somewhere or the other,” he said.

“This incident is sad for us and I want this not to happen in the future. We people and the entire government are alert,” he said.

The stampede took place in Mahakumbh Nagar in which 30 people died and 60 suffered injuries.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Prayagraj:

Thirty people were killed in the stampede that happened just before dawn at the Maha Kumbh venue in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, the police chief that oversees security at the massive religious gathering told reporters today.

Twenty-five bodies have been identified, police officer Vaibhav Krishna told reporters, adding 60 were injured. Many have been hospitalised.

The announcement of casualties came hours after local reports and Prayagraj residents posted on social media about deaths at the stampede. The reports were, however, not consistent with the number of dead.

The pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh broke out after many pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days.

Many people started breaking barricades before the stampede happened, the police officer said.

Sarojini, a Karnataka resident who came to take a dip in the Maha Kumbh, told news agency PTI, “We came in a batch of 60 people in two buses. There were nine people in our group. Suddenly there was pushing in the crowd, and we got trapped. Many fell down and the crowd became uncontrollable.”

A woman at a local hospital, whose child was injured, said there was nowhere to go when people started pushing in the massive crowd. “Some people who pushed us were laughing while we begged them for kindness towards the children,” she told PTI.

Mr Krishna, the Deputy Inspector in General (DIG) of Maha Kumbh, said the situation is under control.

President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Mahant Ravindra Puri, who was headed towards the Triveni Sangam for the amrit snan said thousands of saints and Naga sadhus were coming with him. “We are going for the amrit snan… We will vacate the ghats very quickly so that all the devotees who have come here are able to take a holy dip.”

Digambar Naga Baba Chidanand Puri of Panchayati Niranjani Akhara told news agency ANI after taking amrit snan that after the incident, people from the Niranjani Akhara are coming in small numbers to take the holy dip.

Prayagraj:

Piles of clothes, shoes, bags and other discarded belongings were seen on the ground after a stampede broke out at Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh, the world’s largest religious gathering, this morning.

Several people were feared dead and more than 30 others were injured in the crush that took place around 1 am when millions of devotees gathered near Sangam – the point where the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers meet – to take traditional ‘Amrit Snan’ or holy dip on ‘Mauni Amavasya’, one of the holiest days of the six-week event.

Visuals showed devotees’ belongings like clothes, blankets and backpacks strewn around the scene of the stampede. Many people were seen stepping over those belongings while trying to escape the crush.

Photo Credit: PTI

Photo Credit: PTI

Some people were also seen climbing barriers and rushing through pontoons after the stampede.

Photo Credit: PTI

Photo Credit: PTI

There is so far no official confirmation of the number of deaths or injuries.

How Stampede At Maha Kumbh Mela Occurred

The stampede occurred between 1 am and 2 am when some devotees climbed over the barricades at Akhara Marg, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said.

“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 holding a high-level meeting in the state capital, Lucknow.

Photo Credit: PTI

He said the situation in Prayagraj is “under control” but the “crowd pressure is still there”.

Mr Adityanath also appealed to people to take a dip in the Ganga at their nearest ghats and not try to reach the Sangam Nose.

He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health Minister JP Nadda had called him up since morning to take stock of the situation.

PM Modi On Maha Kumbh Stampede

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his deepest condolences to the devotees who lost their family members in the stampede at the Maha Kumbh and described the tragedy as “extremely saddening”.

In a post on X, he said the local administration in Prayagraj is giving all possible help to the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

“I have been speaking to Chief Minister Yogi ji and am in constant touch with the state government,” he said.

प्रयागराज महाकुंभ में हुआ हादसा अत्यंत दुखद है। इसमें जिन श्रद्धालुओं ने अपने परिजनों को खोया है, उनके प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं। इसके साथ ही मैं सभी घायलों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूं। स्थानीय प्रशासन पीड़ितों की हरसंभव मदद में जुटा हुआ है। इस सिलसिले में मैंने…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 29, 2025

Dubbed the world’s largest spiritual gathering, the Maha Kumbh is being held after 12 years and kicked off in Prayagraj on January 13. It will continue till February 26.

Photo Credit: ANI

The Sangam is considered the holiest by Hindus, with a belief that taking a dip in it during Maha Kumbh and particularly on special bathing dates like Mauni Amavasya washes away people’s sins and provides them ‘moksha’ or salvation.

Nearly 20 crore pilgrims have so far taken a dip and officials expect a total footfall of around 40 crore devotees.