A month after a tragic stampede resulted in the deaths of 30 individuals at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated on Monday that his administration responded promptly to manage the situation and prevented the incident from being publicized, as it could have incited panic among the millions of devotees present at the event that day. He also refuted allegations stemming from a report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) regarding elevated levels of fecal coliform in water samples collected at the Mahakumbh, asserting that the CPCB subsequently acknowledged that the levels were not significant.
During an event focused on ‘Nation Building through the Successful Organisation of Mahakumbh,’ Adityanath addressed a gathering of officials from the Indian Institute of Management and the Indian Postal Service, providing his first extensive remarks regarding the stampede that occurred in the early hours of January 29, coinciding with Mauni Amawasya and the anticipated holy bath in the river.
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He remarked, “The crowd behaves like the current of a river; any attempt to obstruct it will either lead to a forceful escape or result in widespread disruption. This was evident that night when a significant number of individuals gathered, all eager to partake in the holy bath at 4 am. With Mauni Amawasya commencing at 7:30 pm on January 28, the crowd grew substantially, and the unfortunate incident transpired between 1 am and 1:30 am.”
He further noted, “Approximately 40 million individuals, including devotees, were present in the Mahakumbh vicinity, with a similar number in Prayagraj city, either traveling to or from the event. More than 200,000 vehicles were stationed in adjacent districts, awaiting permission to access the Mahakumbh. We chose not to publicize the stampede to prevent inciting panic among such a vast assembly. We effectively managed the situation and the surrounding circumstances,” stated the Chief Minister.
Adityanath stated that in addition to the large number of devotees, sadhus from 13 Akharas were also expected to participate in the holy bath that morning. He noted, “The bathing of the Akharas presents a significant challenge, as there has historically been violence regarding the order of the dips. The bathing was scheduled to commence at 4 am, and despite the stampede, all Akharas were prepared. However, at 3 am, I requested a postponement of their bathing due to an incident that had occurred.” He further mentioned that officials were vigilant in monitoring the crowd, evacuated the Sangam area by noon, and ensured that the holy bath resumed by 2:30 pm.
