Maha Kumbh stampede developments: 30 dead, 60 injured in Prayagraj; judicial probe ordered

Following the stampede at the Maha Kumbh on Mauni Amavasya Wednesday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued a slew of guidelines on crowd management, traffic flow, prevention of build-up of devotees and coordination among departments.

He ordered the deployment of Ashish Goyal, who served as Divisional Commissioner of Prayagraj during Kumbh 2019, and Bhanu Goswami, a former Vice Chairman of ADA, to further strengthen the arrangements, according to an official statement.

Mr. Adityanath asked the chief secretary and the director general of police to conduct a thorough review of the Maha Kumbh Mela arrangements on Thursday. “Every aspect related to security and public convenience must be carefully examined to ensure seamless arrangements for Basant Panchami,” he said.

A Bahraich Police sub-inspector who was on duty near the Sangam banks at the Maha Kumbh died on Wednesday, with sources saying he complained of a stomachache and suddenly his health deteriorated.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Durga Prasad Tiwari told reporters in the evening, “The Bahraich police received information that Sub-Inspector Anjani Rai, who was assigned duty at the Maha Kumbh, fell ill around 12:00 noon and passed away.” He said the family was informed immediately and they have reached Prayagraj.

Post-mortem and other formalities are being conducted, and the Bahraich Police is in coordination with Prayagraj authorities to ensure all necessary procedures are followed, he said.

Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Ramanand Prasad Kushwaha said the deceased SI was about 49 years old.

Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in a stampede in Prayagraj on Wednesday and wished a swift recovery for those injured in the tragic incident.

The ‘Amrit Snan’ by saints and seers of all 13 akharas on Mauni Amavasya, which was deferred after a stampede at the Maha Kumbh here, concluded at the Sangam on Wednesday evening, officials said.

The bathing ritual of akharas, which commenced in the afternoon after crowd control measures were implemented, ended by about 7.30 pm, they said.

The ritual, which was scheduled for ‘Brahma Muhurat’ (auspicious hour), was postponed due to the stampede near Sangam Nose early in the morning.

A senior official of the mela administration said that, for the first time, saints of akharas and Naga ascetics had to break their tradition of taking the first dip in the Sangam due to circumstances.

“Two Madhya Pradesh residents, including a woman, were among the 30 devotees who died in the stampede at Prayagraj,” state government officials said. 

“Two devotees from Madhya Pradesh - a woman named Hukum Bai Lodhi, a resident of Chhatarpur district, and Mohanlal Ahirwar, a native of Raisen district - died in the stampede,” the officials said.

- PTI

“The West Bengal Government decided to send a team to Maha Kumbh as it did not receive any information from the Uttar Pradesh administration about the condition of pilgrims from the state following a stampede there,” a senior official said here. 

“A team of officials from the Resident Commissioner’s office in New Delhi would go to Prayagraj to take stock of the situation,” he added.

At least 30 people were killed and 60 injured in the pre-dawn stampede in the Sangam area as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya.

- PTI

In view of the stampede in Maha Kumbh, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to operate trains as per arising needs in Prayagraj. 

Mr. Vaishnaw reviewed train services and visited the 24x7 war room set up in the Rail Bhawan to monitor passengers’ amenities and train operations, according to a press note shared by the ministry.

“The Hon’ble Minister has directed the officials to keep a watch on the situation and operate trains as per the planning as well as the arising needs,” said Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board.

- PTI

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a judicial inquiry to find the reasons that led to the stampede at the Maha Kumbh. 

Mr. Adityanath also announced an ex gratia of ₹25 lakh each for the kin of the deceased.

The three-member inquiry panel would be headed by retired judge Harsh Kumar and also include former DGP V.K. Gupta and retired IAS officer D.K. Singh.

The Chief Minister said a separate police inquiry would also be conducted into the whole issue.

- PTI

“A large number of vehicles carrying thousands of devotees to Maha Kumbh remained stuck on the border between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) due to a huge crowd in Prayagraj,” officials say. 

The vehicles heading to Prayagraj have been stopped since late last night in various holding areas near Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, they say.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said in a post on X that food and accommodation arrangements were made for the devotees stranded in Rewa district.

Rewa city is located 130 km from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.

- PTI

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) mourned the loss of lives at the Maha Kumbh stampede and said the tragedy has exposed the mismanagement by the Uttar Pradesh government in handling the mega event.

In a post on X, the CPI(M) said, “It (the stampede) completely exposes the mismanagement of the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government despite incurring huge expenses. We express our condolences to the bereaved families.”

- PTI

With opposition leaders questioning the crowd control measures following the stampede, the Uttar Pradesh Government on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) said “prompt medical services” and a “green corridor” created for such emergencies “restricted” the damage.

In a statement, the U.P. government said that more than 50 ambulances rushed “within two to three minutes by creating a green corridor to rescue people affected in the incident. More than 100 rounds were made by ambulances to save people’s lives.”

“Doctors also reached the spot within two to three minutes, while the NDRF, SDRF and police were present to assist them,” it said.

- PTI

“A businessman from Assam was among the 30 pilgrims killed in the stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Tuesday (January 28, 2025),” police said. 

The 63-year-old man was identified as Nitiranjan Roy who hailed from Hailakandi district in the Barak Valley.

Hailakandi Superintendent of Police Leena Doley said that Roy’s body will be airlifted to Silchar either on Wednesday or Thursday, January 30, 2025.

- PTI

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) termed the stampede at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj “very sad” and hopes that local administration will rectify if there is any deficiency in the arrangements.

VHP president Alok Kumar also expressed his deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the incident and wished for the speedy recovery of all the injured.

He appealed to the political parties to avoid taking part in any “political blame game”, saying it is time to ensure proper treatment of those injured, consoling the families of the deceased and keeping the situation under control.

- PTI

Opposition leaders in Uttar Pradesh targeted the Yogi Adityanath government over the Maha Kumbh stampede on Wednesday (January 29, 2025), with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav demanding that the management of the world’s largest religious event should be immediately handed over to the army.

U.P. Congress president Ajay Rai said the tragic incident highlighted the failure of the state government.

Mr. Yadav said that crores of devotees are stuck on the roads leading to Prayagraj in various cities and requests the people of U.P. and NGOs to arrange food and water for them.

- PTI

Criticising the Uttar Pradesh government, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) alleged that mismanagement due to “VIP culture” is the reason for the stampede that killed at least 30 people. 

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, she also took on the BJP over the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), calling it a “hot air balloon” flown by the party to divert people’s attention from “real issues”.

Rahul Gandhi also says that “VIP culture” should be reined in and the government should make better arrangements to fulfil the needs of common devotees at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge says, “half-baked arrangements, VIP movement, paying more attention to self-promotion and mismanagement are responsible for this”. Such arrangements despite spending thousands of crores of rupees are condemnable.”

- PTI

“30 people have lost their lives and 60 others injured in the stampede at the Maha Kumbh venue in Prayagraj,” said Vaibhav Krishna, DIG Mahakumbh. He added, the stampede took place between 1-2 a.m., when a huge crowd broke the barricades, which led to casualties.

- Mayank Kumar

The Ministry of Civil Aviation asks airlines to “maintain reasonable airfares” for the Maha Kumbh Mela. In response, IndiGo says, ”We have reduced airfares on all routes to and from Prayagraj by 30-50%”

- Jagriti Chandra

Nearly 12 hours after the tragedy, there has been no official word yet on the number of casualties.

Meanwhile, foreign agencies such as Reuters, Associated Press and AFP put the death toll anywhere between 17and 40.

Reuters quotes three police sources who say that 40 bodies were brought to a hospital morgue near where the stampede took place in Uttar Pradesh.

The Associated Press cites a doctor at a government hospital who says at least 17 people were killed and many more injured. In Prayagraj, where the doctor works, over 30 were injured and five, who were brought in for treatment, were in serious condition. He spoke on a condition of anonymity.

AFP says that at least 15 people were killed with many more injured.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) expressed grief over the loss of lives during a stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh and urged all Kannadigas at the Mela to stay cautious and safe amid reports about injury to some devotees from the state. 

Multiple people were killed and many injured in a stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj in U.P. early Wednesday (January 29, 2025) as crores of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya.

Taking to social media post ‘X’, he said, “Saddened by the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj this morning, which claimed several lives. My condolences to the bereaved families, and prayers for the departed souls. Wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.” He assured that the state government will ensure safe return of devotees from Karnataka.

- PTI

Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the loss of lives during the stampede and appealed to devotees to be patient and follow instructions of the local administration.

“The news of the deaths and injury to several devotees in the unfortunate stampede incident on the bank of Sangam in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh is extremely sad. I pray to God for peace to the departed souls and speedy recovery of the injured devotees,” he said in a post on X.

“All devotees are requested to maintain patience and follow the instructions of the local administration. Take holy bath at the ghat of Maa Ganga which is nearest to you in the mela,” he said.

- PTI

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar condoled the deaths of the stampede victims. In a post on X, Nitish Kumar hoped for the speedy recovery of those who sustained injuries.

“Deaths of pilgrims in the unfortunate incident at Prayagraj Mahakumbh. Deep condolences to the bereaved families. Hope for early recovery of those who are injured”, the Bihar CM said.

Leader of the opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav also posted on X expressing sorrow over the tragedy.

- PTI

The Aam Aadmi Party blamed administrative mismanagement for the stampede, calling for an end to VIP culture and stricter crowd management. 

AAP leader Sanjay Singh described the scenes as “scary.” Referring to videos circulating on social media, Singh said, “I saw a woman desperately trying to give oxygen from her mouth to her family member to save him. This is heartbreaking.” He also pointed out that Mahamandaleshwar Premanand Puri Ji had urged authorities to hand over the event’s arrangements to the army, but his request was rejected.

“We never wanted to comment on this, but the reality is clear - VIP culture is the main problem. Roads are being closed for VIP movement, causing chaos for the devotees,” he alleged.

According to Singh, the administration only arrived at the scene at 1 a.m. and started forcing people to take a holy dip (snan), which led to panic.

“This created a stampede-like situation. My heart goes out to those affected. I appeal to the Chief Minister to immediately stop all VIP movements at the Maha Kumbh,” he added.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi CM Atishi too expressed their condolences.

- PTI

Over 50 million people have taken the holy dip on Mauni Amavasya today, till 2 p.m. as per official figures from the Uttar Pradesh government. “Total snan today until 2 PM is over 5.04 crores,” reads an official statement. The figures of persons performing the holy dip has crossed 200 million since the start of Maha Kumbh.

Amrit snan, the traditional bathing ritual of akharas that was deferred due to the stampede, resumed.

Led by Mahant Ravindra Puri, head of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad, the procession of akharas made its way on foot towards the Sangam for the snan. 

The procession, notably less grand than usual, began around 2:30 p.m.

The Amrit snan was originally scheduled in the early hours of the day but was postponed following the stampede.

- PTI

Vehicles carrying thousands of devotees to Maha Kumbh were stuck on the border between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh due to huge crowd in Prayagraj, officials said.

Food and accommodation arrangements were made for the devotees stranded in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said in a post on X.

Police and State officials were present at the spot, taking care of proper arrangements of the food and accommodation for all devotees there, the CM said. “Along with this, a team of doctors has also been made available at the spot for health-related needs,” he said.

He also appealed to the devotees to maintain patience and follow the administration’s guidelines.

- PTI

“I am saddened to hear about the tragic stampede at Maha Kumbh in which at least 15 innocent people have lost their lives.

My condolences and prayers are with the bereaved pilgrim families. I wish speedy recovery to those injured in this tragic incident. I sincerely hope that the Indian government will investigate this incident thoroughly and take necessary steps to prevent such accidents.

We all must learn from such tragedies and ensure proper safety arrangements in the future so that such incidents do not happen again.”

The Shiv Sena (UBT) sought to know who was responsible for the stampede at the Maha Kumbh and claimed that closure of certain parts of the riverbank for visits by Ministers leads to such situations.

A day should be reserved for visits by VIPs, said the party’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, adding that more than ₹10,000 crore has been spent for the management of Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj.

“Where did the money go? The BJP has been doing political campaigning through the Kumbh. It wants to market the Kumbh and contest polls. This is not their faith but politics, and people lose their lives,” Raut said, adding that the deaths in the early morning stampede were a “murder by the state administration.”

- PTI

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic accident that took place at Prayagraj Maha Kumbh. I express my condolences to the bereaved families of the devotees who lost their loved ones in the accident and wish for the speedy recovery of the injured. May God give strength to the bereaved family in this hour of grief,” Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar says.

“People who have gone to the Maha Kumbh from Uttarakhand can get any kind of help by calling toll free numbers - 1070, 8218867005, 90584 41404” Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s office says.

Congress leader and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed grief over the Maha Kumbh stampede. She asked the U.P. Government to make efforts to complete the centuries-old tradition of the ‘Shahi Snan’ of the Akharas.

“The news of large number of devotees being killed in the accident that took place on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya at the holy place Prayagraj is extremely sad. May God give peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured. Efforts should also be made to complete the centuries-old tradition of the Shahi Snan of the Akharas. Devotees are requested to complete the bath and donation with patience and peace,” she said on X. 

“There is an appeal to the government to arrange for proper treatment of the injured. The dead bodies should be identified and sent to their families and immediate arrangements should be made keeping the convenience of the devotee’s paramount so that all the future bathing rituals can be completed safely,” she added.

Ahead of starting an election rally in Delhi today, PM Modi spoke on the stampede at the Maha Kumbh and said we lost a few people and some were injured too. “I want to pay my respects to the people who lost their family and hope that the injured get well soon. I have been in touch with the UP Government to monitor the situation closely. There was a brief pause in the rituals of the day but now they have restarted it. I again want to pay my respects to families of the people we lost,” he said.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic accident that took place at Maha Kumbh. I express my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this accident. May God give them the strength to bear this sorrow. The administration is treating the injured in hospitals. I am in constant touch with the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and the local administration”: Amit Shah

Wishing for the speedy recovery of those injured during the stampede incident at Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called the accident extremely painful. 

He said that the Uttar Pradesh government and the local administration are providing all possible help to the victims.

Over 36 million people have taken the holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, January 29, till 10 AM as per official figures of U.P. government. “Total snan today until 10 AM is over 3.61 crores,” reads an official statement. 

The figures of persons performing the holy dip has crossed 200 million since the start of Maha Kumbh. 

- Mayank Kumar

Condoling the stampede incident that took place at Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh, President Droupadi Murmu said that she prays of the speedy recovery of the injured devotees. 

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a statement regarding the incident at Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh, said the local administration in Prayagraj is giving all possible help to the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

The incident took place between 1 am and 2 am when some devotees climbed over the barricades at Akhara marg, he said.

“Between 1 am to 2 am, at the akhara route where arrangements were made for the Amrit Snan of the akharas, some devotees crossed over the barricades and were critically injured. They were immediately rushed to hospital where treatment was promptly ensured,” he said after a high-level meeting in Lucknow.

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.

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.

- PTI

Reacting to the incident of stampede, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post in Hindi expressed sadness and offered condolences to “the devotees who have lost their loved ones in this.”

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“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,” he added. 

DIG Mahakumbh, Vaibhav Krishna has ordered horse-mounted police personnel to move devotees to vacate the Triveni Sangam ghat.

Earlier, to ensure the security of all the devotees, amid massive crowds building in the Mahakumbh area on Mauni Amavasya, a team of Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad along with a sniffer dog conducted regular checking of the area.

“Many Akharas told us to regulate the crowd and that they would come out for the snan later. Now that the crowd is under control, our preparations for the Akharas and saints are in place. The Akhara Marg and Akhara Ghat are ready,” he added.

The DIG confirmed that the entire area has been sanitized and communicated to the Akharas, who will soon begin their snan. Regarding the stampede, he stated, “We do not have official numbers of stampede victims since we have been involved in crowd control here. The injured are being treated.”

- ANI

Following the incident of stampede at Maha Kumbh, authorities are on alert in Rae Bareli and neighbouring districts of Prayagraj, with traffic moving towards Prayagraj partially stopped.

The administration barricaded various places including Bachhrawan, Unchahar and stopped four-wheeler vehicles going to Prayagraj. 

Visitors are told that traffic will be restored after the crowd in Prayagraj subsides. Many devotees from Nepal, Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana were stopped in Rae Bareli, with administration providing necessary facilities for the passengers.

- Mayank Kumar

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Rahul Gandhi has said that mismanagement and administration’s special focus on VIP movement instead of common devotees were responsible for this tragic incident at Maha Kumbh.

Mr. Gandhi also said “VIP culture” should be reined in and the government should make better arrangements to fulfil the needs of common devotees at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said the news of “many people’s death and many getting injured due to stampede in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh is extremely saddening”.

“I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured.

- PTI

After a stampede-like situation at the Maha Kumbh, the Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav called for the Army to be given administration and management of the Maha Kumbh.

“In order to re-instil faith in the system among the saint community and devotees who have come to the Maha Kumbh, it is necessary that the administration and management of the Maha Kumbh should be immediately handed over to the Army instead of the U.P. government and administration,” said Mr. Yadav.

After a stampede at the Maha Kumbh left many injured, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday appealed to people to take a dip in the Ganga at their nearest ghats and not try to reach the Sangam Nose, according to an official statement.

Adityanath also held a high-level meeting with top officials at his residence and urged people not to believe rumours.

In a video statement, the Chief Minister also said that some devotees were seriously injured, but have shifted to hospitals for treatment.

The head of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad Mahant Ravindra Puri on Wednesday said the traditional bathing ritual of all the akharas has been deferred due to “overcrowding” at the Sangam ghat amid the Maha Kumbh.

However, Puri, who is the head of the apex body of 13 akharas, did not refer to the stampede and said there was “overcrowding” at the Sangam.

“We are seeing that the crowd is decreasing now, and we are in talks with the Mela administration. If the crowd is decreasing, then we would like to take the snan,” Puri told PTI Videos.

Puri said he was waiting for clearance from the Mela administration to proceed with the traditional akhara bathing rituals of saints, which however, would be much subdued.

- PTI

Tragedy struck during the 1954 Kumbh Mela on the main bathing day on February 3 when a stampede occurred in Kumbh Nagar, killing at least 300 and injuring over a thousand. The Hindu reported that thousands of pilgrims surged on the procession route of the Naga Sadhus who used their lances to push them, causing a stampede.

Read more on the evolution of the Maha Kumbh Mela

Distressed families lined up outside a makeshift hospital inquiring about their missing relatives, rescuers were helping the injured and police tried to manage the crowds, as several people were feared dead and many more injured in a stampede early when tens of thousands of devotees rushed to take a holy bath in the river at the massive Maha Kumbh festival.

People’s belongings like clothes, blankets and backpacks were strewn around the scene of the stampede. It was not immediately clear what triggered the panic or how many people had been hurt.

Numerous pilgrims decided to make an early exit from the festival.

“I heard the news and saw the bathing site,” attendee Sanjay Nishad told AFP.

“My family got scared, so we’re leaving.”

Pilgrim Malti Pandey told AFP that he was on his way to bathe in the river along a barricaded walking route when the stampede began.

“Suddenly a crowed started pushing and many people were crushed,” the 42-year-old said.

- Agencies

The Congress hit out at the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government over the “stampede-like” situation at the Sangam, demanding that the Maha Kumbh management be handed over to a better administrator than Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the movement of VVIPs there be stopped.

“Half-baked arrangements, VIP movement, paying more attention to self-promotion and mismanagement are responsible for this. Such arrangements despite spending thousands of crores of rupees are condemnable,” the Congress chief said in a post in Hindi on X.

“Many important ‘shahi snans’ are still left, so the central and state governments should wake up now, and improve the system so that such unpleasant incidents do not happen in future,” Mr. Kharge said.

- PTI

Soon after Akharas called off the Holy Dip for the day, President of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Ravindra Puri has now said that the Akharas will resume their ‘snan’ today, adding that they are in continuous contact with the Mela administration.Speaking to ANI, Puri said, “Our snan was postponed in the morning after a massive crowd gathered at the ghats. We tried to postpone our snan. Now that the crowd has reduced and the ghats meant for our snan are being vacated, so it seems that all Akharas will be able to do snan today... We all, our all Mahamandaleshwars, Mandaleshwars, Naga Sadhus and devotees will take a holy dip today...”

Meanwhile, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has appealed to the devotees to take the Holy Dip at the Ghat closest to where they were and not converge at only one ghat.

“Dear devotees come to Prayagraj, Take bath at the ghat of Mother Ganga near which you are, do not try to go towards Sangam Nose. All of you should follow the instructions of the administration and cooperate in making arrangements. People are bathing peacefully at all the ghats of Sangam. Do not pay any attention to any rumours,” the CM posted on X.

-ANI

PM Modi, taking stock of the situation in Kumbh, is in constant contact with the State government. He has spoken with the U.P. Yogi Adityanath three times till now and is giving directions for normalisation of situation and relief.

- Nistula Hebbar

In a post in Hindi, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to devotees to take a dip at their nearest ghat and not try to go towards Sangam Nose

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Continuously monitoring the situation at Kumbh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to UP CM Yogi Adityanath second time in an hour to take stock. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also reached out to the CM to assure all support.

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Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri said that due to the stampede-like situation at Maha Kumbh, the seers have called off their Mauni Amavasya’s Amrit Snan.

A stampede-like situation broke out at Sangam earlier on Wednesday at the Sangam, where several people, including women and children, suffered injuries.

“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’,” Mahant Ravindra Puri told PTI Videos.

- PTI

A stampede at the world’s largest religious gathering in India killed at least 15 people with many more injured, a doctor at Kumbh Mela festival told AFP.

“At least 15 people have died for now. Others are being treated,” said the doctor in Prayagraj city, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to media.

- AFP