15 Dead, Multiple Injured in Stampede at Maha Kumbh's Mauni Amavasya Event

Prayagraj (The Uttam Hindu): A tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Mauni Amavasya resulted in at least 15 fatalities and left 30 women injured. The chaos unfolded as millions of devotees gathered for the most significant ritual of the event — the Amrit Snan — at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers.

The stampede began when barricades collapsed under the pressure of the crowd causing panic. Some women fainted as the crowd surged and the situation quickly escalated into a stampede-like scenario. The injured were immediately rushed to hospitals within the Maha Kumbh fairgrounds and some were later transferred to Bailey Hospital and Swaroop Rani Medical College for treatment.

Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri announced the cancellation of the Mauni Amavasya Amrit Snan in light of the tragedy. He explained that seers and saints were ready for the ritual but decided to call it off after hearing about the incident.

In response to the situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, instructing him to take immediate relief measures. Authorities closed pontoon bridges and heightened safety measures to prevent further incidents.

Ahead of the event, nearly five crore devotees had already reached Prayagraj with the expected turnout for the day set to reach 10 crore. The celestial alignment of 'Triveni Yog' made this year's Mauni Amavasya especially significant as it occurs only once every 144 years.

Despite the tragic incident, authorities are focusing on providing aid to the injured and supporting the families of the deceased while investigations are underway to prevent similar occurrences in the future.