Casualties feared at Maha Kumbh due to stampede situation; Amrit Snan called off

Multiple casualties were feared after a "stampede-like" situation broke out at the Sangam on Wednesday amid the ongoing Maha Kumbh, as millions of pilgrims turned up for a holy bath on Mauni Amavasya, officials said.

While the release of official news updates on the casualties appeared controlled, Reuters reported that more than seven people were killed and around 10 injured.

In view of the incident, the Akharas called off their traditional 'Amrit Snan' for Mauni Amavasya, even as devotees in large numbers continued to take a dip at Sangam and other ghats in the Mela area.

Officer on Special Duty for the Mela Akanksha Rana said, "Some people have got injured and have been hospitalised after a barrier broke at the Sangam. We are yet to have the exact count of those injured".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation in a call with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and called for immediate support measures, PTI said quoting officials.

The Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya is the most significant ritual of the Maha Kumbh and is expected to draw around 10 crore pilgrims.

This year, a rare celestial alignment called 'Triveni Yog' is occurring after 144 years, amplifying the spiritual significance of the day.

Around 2 am, the blaring sirens of ambulances and police vehicles rushing to the Sangam pierced through the continuous chants of mantras and shlokas echoing from loudspeakers across the Kumbh Mela area.

IANS reported that around 30 women being injured as they made their way towards the Sangam for the Amrit Snan, one of the most significant rituals of the festival. 

The incident occurred amidst the surge of millions of devotees gathering for the holy dip, prompting the Akharas to call off the event temporarily.

The chaos ensued about a kilometre away from the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers, when barricades broke, causing panic among the crowd.

The crush of people led to several women fainting, and as they fell to the ground, a stampede-like situation emerged. The injured were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital located within the Maha Kumbh fairgrounds, while some of the more seriously injured were transferred to Bailey Hospital and Swaroop Rani Medical College for treatment.

Eyewitnesses described the harrowing scenes. Jay Prakash Swami, who witnessed the incident firsthand, shared, "She had gotten trapped under the crowd and couldn’t get up. We were all stuck in the crowd. I was the first to get out, then I helped the children and my father and then my mother."

Vidhya Sahu, another eyewitness who had travelled from Belgavi, Karnataka, recounted, "We have come from Belgavi, Karnataka. We were just walking when people from behind pushed us and took us around. There was a pole in the opposite direction, and everyone got stuck near it."

Crowd Diversion Plan Implemented at Maha Kumbh and the entry of devotees was halted. Groups of devotees were stopped on the outskirts of the city.

The Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya holds immense spiritual significance, especially this year due to the rare 'Triveni Yog' celestial alignment, which occurs only once every 144 years.

This alignment has added to the fervour and devotion of the millions who gathered for the ritual. Authorities have since tightened security measures and urged devotees to remain cautious.

Those injured were taken to the central hospital established in the Mela area. Relatives of many injured also reached there, as did some senior administrative and police officials.

"We came in a batch of 60 people in two buses, we were nine people in the group. Suddenly there was pushing in the crowd, and we got trapped. A lot of us fell down and the crowd went uncontrolled," Sarojini from Karnataka said, weeping outside the hospital.

"There was no chance for escape, there was pushing from all sides," the woman told PTI Videos.

A man from Chhattarpur in Madhya Pradesh said his mother was injured and hospitalised, while a middle-aged married couple from Meghalaya walked away from the crowd, both of them sobbing and narrating to reporters their harrowing experience of getting caught up in the ruckus.

Another woman at the hospital, whose child suffered injuries in the chaos, narrated her ordeal, claiming, "There was nowhere to go. Some people who pushed us were laughing while we begged them for kindness towards the children."

While ordinary devotees continued their holy bath after the incident, the Akharas (monastic orders) called off their traditional Amrit Snan for Mauni Amavasya.

"You would've seen what happened in the morning, and that's why we have decided to... All of our saints and seers were ready for the 'snan' when we were informed about this incident. That's why we have decided to call off our 'snan' on 'Mauni Amavasya'," Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri said.

As per tradition of the Kumbh Mela, Akharas belonging to the three sects 'Sanyasi, Bairagi, and Udaseen' take the holy dip in a set sequence following a majestic, awe-inspiring procession to the Sangam Ghat.

The Triveni Sangam -- confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati -- is considered the holiest by Hindus, with a belief that taking a dip in it during Maha Kumbh and particularly on special bathing dates like Mauni Amavasya washes away people's sins and provides them 'moksha' or salvation.

On Tuesday, in view of the anticipated influx of pilgrims, the Mela authorities issued an advisory urging devotees to follow crowd-management guidelines for safety and convenience.

Pilgrims were asked to use designated lanes to reach Sangam Ghat, stay in their lanes while approaching the bathing area, and avoid lingering at ghats after the holy dip. They were urged to proceed promptly to parking areas or their destinations to ensure smooth movement.

Visitors were reminded to remain patient at barricades and pontoon bridges, avoiding rushing or jostling to prevent accidents. The administration emphasised that "all ghats at Sangam are equally sacred", encouraging devotees to "bathe at the first ghat they reach to prevent overcrowding".

Being held after 12 years, the Maha Kumbh kicked off on 13 January and will continue till 26 February. The UP government, hosting the fair, expects a total footfall of around 40 crore pilgrims at the largest spiritual gathering on the planet.

(With Agency Inputs)