'Did Not Highlight Maha Kumbh Stampede To Avoid Panic': Yogi Adityanath Reveals How Mauni Amawasya Mishap Was Managed

One month following the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj that resulted in the death of 30 people, Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath stated on Monday (3 March) that his administration responded promptly to manage the situation.

He further added that they refrained from publicising the incident extensively to avoid causing panic among the crores of devotees present at the site on the day of the incident, Indian Express reported.

At an event themed 'Nation Building through the Successful Organisation of Mahakumbh', Adityanath, for the first time, addressed the stampede incident that occurred early on 29 January during the Mauni Amawasya celebration, just before the holy bath in the river. His audience comprised officials from the Indian Postal Service and the Indian Institute of Management.

“The crowd is like water current in a river… whenever an attempt is made to stop the current, it will either force its way out or spread and cause damage. This happened that night when there was a huge gathering present at the site and everyone wanted to take the holy bath at 4 am. Since Mauni Amawasya started at 7.30 pm on 28 January, the crowd swelled and the incident happened between 1 am and 1.30 am,” he said.

“There was a crowd of 4 crore people, including devotees, present in the Maha Kumbh area while a similar number of people were present in Prayagraj city, moving to or from Maha Kumbh. Over 2 lakh vehicles were parked in neighbouring districts…, waiting to be allowed to reach the Maha Kumbh. We did not allow the news of the stampede to be highlighted as it could have caused panic among such a huge crowd. We managed the situation and circumstances,” the CM said.

Highlighting the challenge, Adityanath said that along with a huge number of devotees, managing sadhus from 13 Akharas, who often fight over who would take the dip first, was the biggest task.

"The bath had to begin at 4 am, and despite the stampede, all the Akharas were ready. But at 3 am, I requested them to postpone their bath because an incident had occurred,” the CM said. Meanwhile, the officials were closely monitoring the crowd and after evacuating the Sangam area by noon, the holy bath was resumed by 2.30 pm.

Adityanath emphasised the international involvement at the Mahakumbh, which included representatives from over 100 countries. He noted that the Central and state governments had invested Rs 7,500 crore, with Rs 6,000 crore specifically allocated for improving the infrastructure of Prayagraj and the surrounding areas.

“Those who arrived with faith witnessed a profound expression of devotion, while others found opportunities for growth and prosperity,” the CM further said.