The area was packed with pilgrims, leaving no space for those exiting after taking a holy dip in Triveni on auspicious Mauni Amavasya. Everything looked normal untill it was not, eyewitnesses describing hearing loud sirens of Ambulance as it rushed to the scene. Soon the Mantra chants started fading away in loud screams.

As per authorities, the injured and deceased were taken to Central Hospital at Mahakumbh Nagar. All 13 Akharas postponed their scheduled holy baths and entry with grand procession was called off. 

Barricades Collapsed; Women And Children Crushed 

“The incident took place due to the pressure of the crowd. The crowd broke barricades and jumped to the other side, crushing those waiting there. Over 90 injured were rushed to the hospital, of whom 30 died,” said Maha Kumbh DIG Vaibhav Krishna in a press conference, hours after the chaos.  

Barricades placed for crowd control in the Maha Kumbh Mela collapsed due to heavy jostling, leading to a stampede in the akhara and mela areas, DIG Krishna said. 

As the barricades gave way, pilgrims waiting for the holy dip during ‘brahm muhurt’ fell, triggering chaos. Women and children were among those crushed in the crowd. 

Krishna further said that 25 of the deceased have been identified. Four of them are from Karnataka and one each from Assam and Gujarat. Of the injured, 36 are receiving treatment at the hospital, while the rest have been discharged to their families. 

‘There Was No Escape’ 

Eyewitnesses shared heart-wrenching accounts of the tragedy, describing the sheer chaos that unfolded at the Sangam. One survivor, Sarojini, a devotee from Karnataka, recalled the moment to PTI: “We came in a batch of 60, split across two buses, and I was with eight others in my group. Suddenly, there was pushing, and we got trapped. People fell all around us, and the crowd was completely out of control.” Her voice trembling, she added, “There was no way to escape. The pushing was relentless, from every direction.” 

A man while talking to Zee news TV said, “The crowd was out of control. I saw 3-4 people die in front of me.”

A Madhya Pradesh man shared how his mother was injured and rushed to the hospital amidst the turmoil. Meanwhile, a middle-aged couple from Meghalaya walked away, tears in their eyes, their voices shaking as they described their terrifying experience in the crush of the crowd. 

Another woman, speaking from the hospital, tearfully recounted how her child was injured in the chaos. “There was nowhere to go,” she said. “People who shoved us were laughing while we pleaded with them, begging for mercy for our children.” 

Of the deceased, four are from Karnataka and one each from Assam and Gujarat.

CM Yogi Reviews Safety Arrangements 

The incident prompted swift action from the authorities, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordering a judicial inquiry to investigate the cause, led by retired judge Harsh Kumar, former DGP VK Gupta, and retired IAS officer DK Singh. Additionally, Yogi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede.Authorities issued strict guidelines for crowd control, traffic flow, and inter-department coordination. 

To strengthen arrangements, he ordered the deployment of Ashish Goyal, former Divisional Commissioner of Prayagraj during Kumbh 2019, and Bhanu Goswami, ex-Vice Chairman of ADA, an official statement said. 

Adityanath directed the chief secretary and DGP to conduct a full review of the Maha Kumbh Mela arrangements on Thursday. “Every aspect of security and public convenience must be examined to ensure smooth arrangements for Basant Panchami,” he said. 

After the stampede, the Amrit snan, the traditional bathing ritual of the akharas, was postponed but resumed later in the afternoon. Meanwhile, devotees continued bathing at the densely packed Sangam and other less crowded ghats along the Ganges.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took cognisance of the matter and talked to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. PM assured of every possible help and stressed the need for immediate support measures to ensure the safety and well-being of pilgrims. Union Home Minister also spoke with CM Yogi, assuring full central support for relief efforts.

What Led To Stampede At Mahakumbh 

Authorities had anticipated a massive turnout of over 80-100 crore devotees for the Mauni Amavasya’s Amrit Snan at the Maha Kumbh, spread across various ghats along a 12-km stretch of riverbanks. According to preliminary reports, an unexpectedly large number—around 5 crore—converged at the Triveni Sangam ghat around midnight, overwhelming the crowd control measures. 

Confirming the incident, Special Executive Officer Akanksha Rana stated, “On the Sangam routes, a stampede-like situation arose after some barriers broke. Some people have been injured. They are under treatment.” 

The sudden surge of devotees led to a chaotic situation near the barricades, some of which collapsed, triggering panic among the devotees. 

#WATCH | #Mahakumbh | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh: On the reports of a stampede at the Maha Kumbh, Special Executive Officer Akanksha Rana says, “On the Sangam routes, a stampede-like situation arose after some barriers broke. Some people have been injured. They are under treatment.… pic.twitter.com/SgLRVXMlgf — ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2025

According to eyewitnesses, many devotees were sleeping when the barricades suddenly broke, triggering a surge of uncontrollable crowds. The rush of people left several trampled in its wake. The overwhelming crowd caused several women to faint, and as they collapsed, chaos escalated into a stampede-like situation.

Injured devotees were rushed for treatment, at the central hospital set up in the Mela area. Senior administrative and police officials also reached the scene in response to the chaos. Seriously injured were transferred to Bailey Hospital and Swaroop Rani Medical College for treatment.

Eyewitness Recount Horror 

Sarojini, from Karnataka, described the horrifying scene, tearfully recounting her ordeal: “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.” 

“There was no chance for escape, there was pushing from all sides,” she added, her voice trembling as she spoke to PTI Videos outside the hospital. 

One eyewitness while talking to Zee news TV said, “The crowd was out of control. I saw 3-4 people die in front of me.”

Akhara Parishad’s Discussion With CM Yogi 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held discussions with saints of various Akharas, including Akhara Parishad General Secretary Hari Giri, to resolve the uncertainty surrounding the Amrit Snan. Following the talks, a consensus was reached for the ritual bath, which will now take place in a phased manner after 11 AM. However, in a significant change, the traditional Shobha Yatra will not be held. Instead, the saints will proceed for the holy dip in a simple manner, without the usual grand procession.

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

“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 said in a statement to PTI Videos. 

According to Kumbh Mela traditions, the Akharas of the three sects—Sanyasi, Bairagi, and Udaseen—take the holy dip in a specific sequence after a grand and majestic procession to the Sangam Ghat.