Thirty people have died in Prayagraj after a “stampede-like” situation broke out at the Sangam on Wednesday amid the ongoing Mahakumbh, as a large number of pilgrims turned up for a holy bath on Mauni Amavasya, officials said.
30 people have lost their lives in the Maha Kumbh stampede that took place between 1-2 AM. 25 people have been identified and the identification of the remaining 5 is being done,” said DIG Mahakumbh, Vaibhav Krishna.
As per the sources, some women were feeling suffocated in the massive crowd when the stampede occurred and the barrier broke off and the people fell on each other.
The Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya is the most significant ritual of the Mahakumbh and is expected to draw around 10 crore pilgrims.
On the Mauni Amavasya, the devotees were supposed to take part in the Amrit Snan or holy dip at the Sangam Ghat.
However, in the wake of the stampede-like situation, the Amrit Snan was called off by the Akharas as of now and it was decided that it would take place later when the situation was under control.
This year, a rare celestial alignment called ‘Triveni Yog’ is occurring after 144 years, amplifying the spiritual significance of the day.
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.
“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,” Sarojini from Karnataka said, weeping outside the hospital.
“There was no chance for escape, there was pushing from all sides,” the woman told PTI Videos.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, amid a sea of crowds converging at the Sangam and all other ghats created along a 12-km long range of river banks for the Maha Kumbh.
The Triveni Sangam – confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati – is considered the holiest by Hindus, with a belief that taking a dip in it during Maha Kumbh and particularly on special bathing dates like Mauni Amavasya washes away people’s sins and provides them ‘moksha’ or salvation.
Link to article –
Stampede in Mahakumbh Updates: PM Modi speaks to CM Yogi, multiple casualties, injuries feared
