Early Wednesday at 1:00 am, the stampede at the Sangam nose area of Mahakumbh claimed 30 lives and has left 60 injured. It was the occasion of Mauni Amavasya when millions of devotees thronged for space to take the holy dip at the Triveni Sangam’s nose area. In order to participate in the ‘Amrit Snan’, the visitors started assembling at the spot, the area got almost packed up with no space for exit. This urge to take the bath in the auspicious hour is said to be the major cause of the stampede, where they started pushing against the barricades.
Due to the stampede, the ‘Amrit Snan’ was suspended by the administration. The 13 Akharas also halted their Snan at the earlier prescribed time. But as the situation came to control, the Snan was resumed back in the afternoon. The Akharas started arriving one by one in a procession and then took their Amrit Snan. The bathing continued even after the mishap caused in the pre-dawn hours. Flock of people continued taking baths at the Sangam and the other ghats of the Ganges.
Following the stampede, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have been closely monitoring the situation. Yogi Adityanath has ordered a judicial probe into the matter. The state government has adopted stricter measures for safety. The CM has instructed the administration to hold tight security, the officers are told to control crowd movement, avoiding unnecessary stoppage or a crowd buildup. They have to ensure set up of holding areas at border points and keep the return routes from Prayagraj open. No VVIP passes will be issued and vehicle entry will be strictly prohibited in the area. The vendors operating on streets will be relocated to open vacant areas.
Till date, 28 crore devotees have taken the holy dip at the sacred Sangam. As of yesterday, over 8 crore devotees took the bath at the confluence. And by today morning on 30th January, nearly 55 lakh pilgrims have taken the auspicious bath of Sangam. The religious spirit and devotion of the people knows no bounds. They are still having the same enthusiasm, marking their attendance at the grand event.
The next Amrit Snan is scheduled to take place on February 3, another special occasion of Vasant Panchami. CM Yogi Adityanath has instructed the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DSP) to monitor the mela arrangements today.