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.

New Delhi:

Hours after the stampede at Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to people not to heed rumours and follow the administration’s instructions. Mr Adityanath said some people were seriously injured early today and they are being treated at hospitals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are closely monitoring the situation and taking regular updates, he said.

“There is a massive crowd. Nearly 8 crore pilgrims are currently in Prayagraj. Yesterday, about 5.5 crore pilgrims took the holy dip. There is a rush towards the Sangam. Between 1 am and 2 am, some people were seriously injured while scaling barricades. They have been rushed to hospital,” he said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi called me four times since the morning. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda and Governor Anandiben Patel are taking regular updates,” he said.

The situation is in control now, but there is a huge crowd. Mr Adityanath said the local administration had made extensive arrangements for the holy dip during Mauni Amavasya and appealed for cooperation.

“Saints have said that pilgrims will take the holy dip first and once they are done, saints will proceed to the sangam for snan,” Mr Adityanath said.

“I appeal to all devotees and saints not to heed rumours and to be patient. The administration is fully prepared to help them. Any negative rumour can cause harm,” he added.

The Chief Minister reiterated that pilgrims must not insist on proceeding towards the Sangam Nose — Sangam Nose is the point where Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical river Saraswati meet and is considered a very sacred point for a holy dip.

“Wherever you are, you can take the holy dip there. It is not a must to proceed towards the Sangam, All ghats are of the Ganga. If everyone cooperates and follows instructions, we will ensure a holy dip for everyone smoothly,” he said.

Opposition parties have hit out at the Yogi Adityanath government, with the Congress and Samajwadi Party blaming the administration for the stampede. The Congress has said “half-baked preparations and “focus on self-publicity” were responsible for the stampede. The main opposition in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party, has said the Mahakumbh arrangements should be handed over to the Army and took a swipe at the state government’s claims of “world-class arrangements”.