Stampede at Prayagraj Mahakumbh leaves at least 30 dead, over 90 injured

Washington: A stampede at Sangam beach during the Prayagraj Mahakumbh around 1:30 pm has resulted in the deaths of 30-40 people, with more than 90 others injured. The death toll is expected to rise.

A media reporter revealed, who visited the medical college, where the bodies were kept, counted 20 bodies. The last body had the number 40 marked on it.

Earlier, 14 bodies were brought for postmortem, with additional bodies arriving later in 8-10 ambulances. About 20 bodies have been handed over to families.

Despite the severity of the incident, the administration has not provided official figures on casualties or injuries, even 14 hours after the tragedy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the victims’ families, stating that he is in constant contact with the Uttar Pradesh government. He assured that while the bathing process was briefly disrupted, it has since resumed smoothly.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged devotees to remain calm and advised them to avoid overcrowding at the Sangam, emphasizing that the Ganga is sacred everywhere and can be worshipped from different banks.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi blamed the tragedy on VIP culture and government mismanagement, while Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav called for the Mahakumbh to be handed over to the army.