Prayagraj, February 1:
A tragic incident occurred at the Sangam ghats on the night of Makar Sankranti, where 23 lives were lost in just 12 seconds. The stampede, caused by panic among the crowd, left 90 others injured. The shocking details emerged after a video surfaced, showing the chaos of the stampede.
A tragic incident occurred at the Sangam ghats on the night of Makar Sankranti, where 23 lives were lost in just 12 seconds. The stampede, caused by panic among the crowd, left 90 others injured. #MahakumbhStampede2025 #MahaKumbh2025 pic.twitter.com/BIQIRuQddA
— UpFront News (@upfrontltstnews) February 1, 2025
The one-minute, two-second long video, captured around 1:10 AM on January 29, shows a massive crowd rushing toward the Sangam Nauj area. For the first 12 seconds, the people can be seen running frantically, each pushing against the other. In that brief span, 23 devotees tragically lost their lives due to the stampede. By the 18th second of the video, a pole marked ‘Pole No. 12’ is seen at the Sangam ghats, followed by what appears to be loud screams, possibly from women in the crowd.
Although the identity of the individuals heard screaming remains unclear, the audio indicates that these could be the cries of women. Authorities, however, have denied knowledge of such a video. Amar Ujala, the news outlet reporting on the incident, has not confirmed the authenticity of the video.
A viral video also surfaced showing a female constable at the scene, visibly distressed, urging higher authorities to send additional forces to manage the situation. In the video, she can be heard saying, “The condition here is extremely bad. The situation is worsening, please send forces immediately.”
The Mahakumbh tragedy has claimed 30 lives, with another 60 individuals injured in two separate incidents due to the chaos caused by the massive crowd during the Mauni Amavasya. The stampede occurred around 1:30 AM, near the Akhada Marg and Sector 18’s Mukti Marg. The injured victims were rushed to SRN hospital, where 36 remain under treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, and other prominent figures expressed their condolences, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued a heartfelt message. He announced that 25 lakh rupees would be provided to the families of the deceased as compensation.
DIG Vaibhav Krishna and Mela Officer Vijay Kiran Anand confirmed the heavy crowd pressure near the Sangam ghats around 1 to 2 AM. The barricades were breached, and the crowd surged forward, crushing several devotees who had already gathered to take a dip. The stampede left 90 people injured, with 30 reported dead. Authorities acted swiftly, and the injured were transported to nearby hospitals using a green corridor system.
This tragic event has shaken the nation, as the Mahakumbh witnessed yet another disaster in its massive congregation of devotees.
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