Police personnel keep vigil as part of safety precautions the day after a stampede at Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Thursday. PTI Photo
Kumbh Mela LIVE | UP chief secy, DGP at the spot for post-stampede review
Five special secretary-level officers are being assigned to oversee operations and they will remain in Prayagraj until Feb 12 to assist in streamlining the arrangements
Following the stampede at the Maha Kumbh on 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.
The administration has implemented five major changes, including declaring the entire fair area a No-Vehicle Zone. Besides, no special passes will allow vehicle entry, eliminating any exceptions.
The chief minister 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.
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.
He said the incumbent ADG and the District Magistrate of Prayagraj must ensure safe and smooth departure of every devotee.
Five Special Secretary-level officers are being assigned to oversee operations, according to the government statement.
It said they will remain in Prayagraj until February 12 to assist in streamlining the arrangements. Moreover, Superintendent of Police-level officers will also be deployed for enhanced management and security, the statement said.
At least 30 people were killed and 60 injured in a pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh Wednesday as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of one of the most auspicious days of Mauni Amavasya.
In light of the tragedy, the chief minister conducted a late-night video conference with senior police officers and officials from multiple districts including Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mirzapur, Basti, Jaunpur, Chitrakoot, Banda, Ambedkarnagar, Pratapgarh, Sant Kabir Nagar, Bhadohi, Rae Bareli and Gorakhpur.
After reviewing updates from the ADG and the District Magistrate of Prayagraj, the CM emphasised the need for heightened vigilance and caution in the mela area, according to the official statement.
The incident comes days after a massive fire reduced at least 18 tents to ashes at the fair following a cylinder blast.
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Live Updates
- 29 Jan 2025 10:04 AM GMT
Prayagraj-bound vehicles stuck on MP-UP border
Vehicles carrying thousands of Maha Kumbh devotees were stuck on the border between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday 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.
Rewa city is located 130 km from Prayagraj in UP.
Yadav said crores of devotees from all over the country and abroad were reaching Prayagraj to take a holy bath there on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya on Wednesday.
In view of the festival, elaborate arrangements have been made for devotees on the Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh border in Rewa district, he said.
"Due to heavy crowd in Prayagraj, vehicles of thousands of devotees are stuck at the border under Chakghat police station in Rewa district today," the chief minister said.
The MP government's police and administration officials were present at the spot, taking care of proper arrangements of the food and accommodation for all devotees there, he said.
"Along with this, a team of doctors has also been made available at the spot for health-related needs," the CM said.
Yadav, currently on a visit to Japan in connection with the Global Investors Summit scheduled later this month, appealed to the devotees to maintain patience and follow the administration's guidelines.
- 29 Jan 2025 9:59 AM GMT
What caused stampede, according to CM Adityanath
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said 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.
Security personnel and rescue workers were seen carrying many of the injured on stretchers. People’s belongings, including blankets and bags, lay strewn around.
On the Amrit Snan by akharas, Adityanath said earlier that a consensus had been reached with the akharas that they would take the holy dip only after the crowd pressure has decreased at the ghats.
“I have personally spoken to Akahara Parishad heads and other seers, including Maha Mandaleshwars and the respected saints have politely agreed to let devotees take the dip and only after the crowd pressure decreases they will take the dip,” the CM said in the morning.
“Our first priority is to ensure safety of devotees,” he said, adding “the situation in Prayagraj is under control but the crowd pressure is still there”.
The chief minister said around 9-10 crore people are in Prayagraj and appealed to devotees to take a dip in the Ganga at their nearest ghats and not try to reach the Sangam nose to avoid overcrowding.
- 29 Jan 2025 9:47 AM GMT
Holy dips have started again after halt: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing his condolences, has said he is monitoring the situation after the stampede, and bathing at the Maha Kumbh has since started there.
Before addressing a poll rally in Delhi's Kartar Nagar, Modi said, “We had to lose some good souls in the tragic incident at Kumbh and some people have also got hurt. I convey my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and pray for the early recovery of those injured.”
“I am in constant touch with the Uttar Pradesh government. Due to Mauni Amavasya, crores of devotees have reached there. For some time, the process of bathing had been halted, but now for several hours, the yatris are taking a bath. I once again convey my condolences to the families,” he added at the poll rally.
Modi also spoke with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath following a stampede-like incident early Wednesday at the Maha Kumbh and called for immediate support measures.
- 29 Jan 2025 9:27 AM GMT
Revanth expresses sadness over stampede
Expressing sadness over the stampede at Maha Kumbh, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has said his government is ready to extend the necessary help.
Reddy said the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government should provide appropriate treatment for the injured and also help the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy, according to an official release.
