The stampede near the Triveni Sangam area at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday resulted in up to 30 fatalities and almost 60 injuries. Thousands of devotees were en route to the Sangam for the Amrit Snan, one of the festival's most important rituals, when the incident occurred.

Around a kilometer from the sacred meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the fabled Saraswati river, the chaos broke out as the crowd grew and barricades collapsed, causing widespread panic.
The injured were quickly transported within the Maha Kumbh fairgrounds to a nearby hospital. Later, those with more serious injuries were moved to Swaroop Rani Medical College and Bailey Hospital for additional care.

Also Read: Maha Kumbh stampede leaves 60 injured, 30 dead

What Led To The Stampede Like Situation At Maha Kumbh?

Devotees in massive numbers flocked to Maha Kumbh for the Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya which is of great spiritual importance, particularly this year. This coincides with the rare 'Triveni Yog' celestial alignment, which only takes place once every 144 years.

This rare event heightened the enthusiasm and devotion of the millions of people who gathered for the ritual. The chaos unfolded roughly one kilometer from the holy confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the legendary Saraswati river at around 2 am, when the crowd surged and caused barricades to collapse, leading to widespread panic.

Key Steps Aftermath The Tragic Incident:

The concerned authorities have imposed some key changes following the Maha Kumbh stampede:

• Vehicles from other districts have been restricted. 

• A complete no-vehicle zone has been enforced.

• Authorities have cancelled VVIP passes.

• A one-way traffic system has been implemented.

• Four-wheelers have been banned until February 4.

In response to the disaster, several Akharas chose to cancel the 'Amrit Snan' of Mauni Amavasya and have pledged their full support to the authorities in restoring order. To manage the crisis, authorities enacted a crowd diversion strategy, temporarily blocking devotees from entering the city and halting large groups on the outskirts.

Several trains from Patna Junction to Prayagraj, including Superfast services like the Bhagalpur Anand Vihar Vikramshila Express, Brahmaputra Mail, Danapur Bengaluru Express, Raxaul Mumbai Express, Danapur Sogaria Garib Rath Express, Muzaffarpur Pune AC Express, Baba Baidyanathdham Deoghar SuperFast Express, Patna Anand Vihar Special Express, and Muzaffarpur Secunderabad Special Express, have been cancelled. Additionally, two special Kumbh trains departing from Patna Junction have also been called off.

What Did PM Modi, UP CM Say?

Saddened over the tragic incident PM Modi said on social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), “The accident that happened in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh is extremely sad. My deepest condolences to the devotees who have lost their loved ones in this. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured. The local administration is engaged in helping the victims in every possible way. In this regard, I have spoken to Chief Minister Yogi ji and I am constantly in touch with the state government.”