Prayagraj: A stampede occurred in the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. While the Yogi Adityanath government is tight-lipped about the number of casualties, news agency AFP reported that at least 15 people were killed.
Uttar Pradesh DIG Vaibhav Krishna told ETV Bharat that the government cannot tell the exact number of the deceased as of now.
Krishna asserted that the crowd was now in control and they could take the holy dip. Akhara Parishad President Ravindra Puri told ETV Bharat that fewer Sadhus will take the holy dip in the Sangam and there will be no celebration.
Eyewitnesses told ETV Bharat that when the stampede occurred devotees were asleep. They said that the devotees who were asleep did not wake up despite repeated announcements by the Uttar Pradesh Police and this led to a stampede.
Here are the five reasons that could have led to a stampede:
- The Kumbh Development Authority had closed most of the bridges for three days due to 'Amrit Snan'. Due to this, the devotees going towards Jhunsi and Naini were not allowed to go out after taking the Sangam bath. Due to this, a crowd of several crores gathered in a limited area
- Since it was night, even the officers who claimed to be monitoring with AI cameras could not realise that the situation around Sangam Nose could go out of control. The administration also appeared lethargic at night. After the incident, officers' vehicles and ambulances rushed towards the Sangam confluence
- Only one route was kept for coming and going to Sangam confluence. Due to only one route, the devotees did not get a chance to escape after the stampede. Whoever got stuck, remained stuck there
- Due to continuous VIP movement, officers and police officers did not get time to rest. It is suspected that it affected the crowd management
- During Kumbh in the Sangam area, on the day of Mauni Amavasya, there is a complete ban on setting up the tracks. This time hundreds of shops and beggars had set up shops on the roadside
The rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati meet at the Sangam confluence. And so the devotees believe it is sacred to take a dip at the Sangam confluence.
It is believed in the Hindu religion that if one takes a holy dip at the Sangam confluence, one attains 'Moksha' (liberation).
