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Maha Kumbh stampede: Yogi constitutes 3 member Judicial Commission

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  • Announces ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh each for kin of deceased
  • 30 killed, 60 injured

STATE TIMES NEWS

Mahakumbh Nagar: At least 30 people were killed and 60 injured in a pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh early 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.
Several hours after the incident took place between 1-2 am, Maha Kumbh DIG Vaibhav Krishna gave the details of the casualties at a press conference here in the evening.
“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,” he said.
The officer said 25 of the deceased have been identified. Four of them are from Karnataka and one each from Assam and Gujarat.
Among those injured, 36 are undergoing treatment at the hospital and the rest have been sent with their families.
Over seven and half crore devotees took a dip Wednesday, officials said.
Later in the night, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced a three-member judicial commission, comprising Justice Harsh Kumar, former DG VK Gupta and retd IAS VK Singh to look into the reasons behind the stampede. He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh each for the kin of the deceased.
“It is important to get to the bottom of the whole episode on how such a tragedy occurred,” a visibly-emotional Adityanath said, adding that the chief secretary and DGP would visit the Maha Kumbh on Thursday for an in-depth probe into the tragic incident.
DIG Krishna said barricades have been placed in the mela and akhara areas for lane management but they gave way under the pressure of the jostling.
As the barricades broke, people fell on those sitting and waiting for taking the holy dip during the ‘brahm muhurt’ (early morning time considered auspicious to perform certain activities), he said.
Many ordinary people, including women and children, fell down and were crushed.
According to tradition, Akharas belonging to the three sects ‘Sanyasi, Bairagi, and Udaseen’ take the holy dip in a set sequence following a majestic, awe-inspiring procession to the Sangam Ghat.
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.
On Tuesday, in view of the anticipated influx of pilgrims, the Mela authorities issued an advisory urging devotees to follow crowd-management guidelines for safety and convenience.
Pilgrims were asked to use designated lanes to reach Sangam Ghat, stay in their lanes while approaching the bathing area, and avoid lingering at ghats after the holy dip. They were urged to proceed promptly to parking areas or their destinations to ensure smooth movement. Visitors were reminded to remain patient at barricades and pontoon bridges, avoiding rushing or jostling to prevent accidents. The administration emphasised that “all ghats at Sangam are equally sacred”, encouraging devotees to “bathe at the first ghat they reach to prevent overcrowding”.
Being held after 12 years, the Maha Kumbh kicked off on January 13 and will continue till February 26. There was a stampede during the 2013 Kumbh in which dozens of pilgrims were killed at the railway station and several left injured.

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