Faith and deaths at Kumbh Mela

• Vishal Gautam, a carpenter, was stuck in a traffic jam in Rae Bareli for seven hours due to a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela site in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

• The stampede, which occurred on Mauni Amavasya, is considered auspicious by Hindus and is considered one of the largest religious events in the world.

• The stampede led to a chaotic situation, with 30 people dead and 60 injured, and many scattered in different directions.

• The stampede occurred when pilgrims started climbing over barricades at the Sangam nose, a strip of land at the confluence of the rivers Ganga and Yamuna and the mythical river, Saraswati.

• The stampede led to the collapse of barricades, causing people to rush to the other side, trampling on others.

• The dead and injured were taken to medical facilities at the Maha Kumbh grounds and hospitals in Prayagraj.

• VIPs and those who had paid large sums of money were given a smooth run to the banks, many had to walk several kilometers to reach the vicinity.

• The ritual snans resumed on the afternoon of January 29 after the incident, with a helicopter showered rose petals on saints and seers leading the dip.

• The day after the stampede, there was disarray and confusion at the Maha Kumbh Mela, with the Nepalese contingent seeking help for their missing mother, Kailash Devi Roniyar.

• The Nepalese group has visited the Motilal Nehru Medical College in Prayagraj thrice in search of her, and the police have instructed them to search the lost-and-found centre.

Kumbh Mela’s Lost and Found Centers and Response

• The Kumbh Mela has at least 10 lost-and-found centres and a central hub overseeing operations.

• Officials attempt to track people and reunite missing people with their families.

• The Motilal Nehru Medical College in Prayagraj houses torn sandals, water bottles, and other belongings of victims.

• Ambulances are parked close to the morgue.

• A man from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, has come to the morgue for his missing wife.

• Schools and religious institutions opened their doors to accommodate pilgrims.

• Businesses and religious institutions provided food packets and water for the victims.

• The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, an apex body of Hindu seers and religious leaders, announced it would not allow “non-Sanatani” people to enter or stall at the Kumbh Mela.

• Devotees allege mismanagement and claim that people have to walk more than 10km to reach the ghats.

• Videos of pilgrims confronting drivers of VIP vehicles and policemen have gone viral on social media.

• Some pilgrims are also furious with the police.

• The Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath, Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, reprimands the government for not releasing the death count for hours and keeping seers in the dark.

Maha Kumbh Organizer’s Violations and Impact

• Vibhuti Narain Rai, a retired Indian Police Service officer, reflects on the stampede at the 1965 Maha Kumbh, highlighting violations of traffic rules and crowd control measures.

• The event was set up with 41 ghats, including eight permanent ones, but the crowd gathered at the Sangam ghat, causing issues with capacity.

• Rai criticizes the event for becoming too commercial due to the government’s publicity and the large crowd.

• The State government has called for ‘zero error’ in management, urging for multi-level barricading and strict enforcement of the diversion plan.

• Additional senior officers have been deployed at the Maha Kumbh, with 10 first-aid posts set up for immediate medical assistance.

• Devotees arriving at Prayagraj for the Amrit Snan are stopped at the district border and allowed to enter in small groups, leading to further inconvenience.

• The overcrowded exit and entry gates at the Maha Kumbh area have caused difficulties for those who managed to escape the disaster.

• Some visitors, like Shaligram Singh, are stuck outside Prayagraj city due to financial issues and traffic congestion.

• Some visitors, like Smita Devi, urge everyone to be responsible for themselves and show patience during holy rituals.