Mahakumbh Stampede Highlights: 30 dead; CM Yogi orders judicial probe

Members of Akhara's gathered in small numbers at Triveni Sangam on Wednesday to take an 'Amrit Snan' on the occasion of 'Mauni Amavasya.

Digambar Naga Baba Chidanand Puri of Panchayati Niranjani Akhara speaking to ANI after taking 'Amrit snan' said that after today's stampede-like situation in Maha Kumbh people from Niranjani Akhara are coming in small numbers to take a holy dip.

Maha Kumbh 2025 LIVE: Union home minister Amit Shah says that he is in constant touch with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and the local administration.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic accident that took place at Maha Kumbh. I express my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this incident. May God give them the strength to bear this sorrow,” he wrote on X.

Maha Kumbh 2025 LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over Mahakumbh stampede at a poll rally in Delhi's Yamuna Khadar.

“Before I address today's election rally, I express my condolences towards the families of the people who have lost their lives at the painful accident which occurred in Mahakumbh. I express my sympathies with the affected families,” Modi said.

"Many people suffered injuries. I am constantly in touch with the Uttar Pradesh govt. For a brief time, the process of the holy dip was obstructed, but it has been going smoothly for some hours now," he added.

Maha Kumbh 2025: Jyotish Peethadheeshwar Jagatguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, Shringeri Peethadheeshwar Jagatguru Swami Vidushekar Bharati, and other seers are at the Sangam to take holy dip on the occasion of ‘Mauni Amavasya’, reports PTI.

"It has been a Sanatani tradition to take a holy dip at Sangam during Kumbh. All kinds of people become one and take a holy dip here. It is also a symbol of social unity, a congregation for spirituality. We have also come. Everyone is sad because of what happened (stampede). Now we have to ensure that it does not happen again," Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranands Saraswati says.

Maha Kumbh 2025 LIVE: “I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident at the Mahakumbh. My heartfelt condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May God give them the strength to bear this sorrow,” Union home minister Amit Shah writes on X.

“The administration is providing medical treatment to the injured in hospitals. I am in constant contact with the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and the local administration,” he adds.

Maha Kumbh 2025 LIVE: President Droupadi Murmu says that the stampede incident at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj is extremely sad.

“I express my condolences to the families of the injured devotees and pray to God that all the injured devotees recover soon,” she adds.

Maha Kumbh 2025 LIVE: Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on the stampede at Maha Kumbh: “This is a very serious issue. The Uttar Pradesh government invited the entire country and millions of people to the Maha Kumbh, making good arrangements. However, the state’s chief minister, who should have overseen the arrangements, left for political rallies in Delhi. This is a huge blunder. The BJP government has turned a religious event into a political one... Yogi Adityanath and the administration are fully responsible for this situation, and he should resign for this.”

Maha Kumbh 2025 LIVE: DIG Mahakumbh, Vaibhav Krishna tells ANI: "Amrit Snan is about to begin... Everything will be carried out traditionally... The police and administration will assist all the Akharas in their traditional processions... The situation is under control. We are looking into the causes of today morning's incident. It happened because of a huge rush of devotees. More than 10 crore devotees are expected to arrive."

Maha Kumbh 2025 LIVE: SSP Kumbh Mela Rajesh Dwivedi tells ANI: "There was no stampede. It was just overcrowding due to which some devotees got injured. The situation is completely under control. No kind of rumours must be paid heed to... Amrit Snan will soon begin... All preparations for Amrit Snan have been made... Many ghats have been developed and people are easily taking a dip in those ghats... I don't have numbers on casualties or injuries..."

Maha umbh 2025 LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that the stampede incident at the Maha Kumbh is extremely tragic.

“My deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I also pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured,” the prime minister wrote on X.

“The local administration is making every possible effort to assist the victims. In this regard, I have spoken to chief minister Yogi ji and am in constant contact with the state government.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, after the stampede at Maha Kumbh, blamed the administration and said, "...Kumbh is a matter of faith. What arrangements have been made for the devotees there? Women are having to sleep on roads. During Akhilesh Yadav's tenure, the arrangements at Kumbh were the best."

Hours after a stampede broke out in the early hours of Wednesday, January 29, at the Triveni Sangam at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that the situation is now under control and the akharas have agreed to let the devotees take the holy dip first.

He said he has talked to authorities of the Akhara Parishad and Mahamandaleshwars who have agreed to let the devotees do the ‘amrit snan’ first. “The situation is under control now but there is pressure due to the huge crowd. I have talked to the authorities of the Akhara Parishad and Mahamandaleshwars. They have said that first, the devotees, who have come from across India, will take the holy dip and when there’s less crowd and the devotees head back, then they will go to the Sangam for amrit snan. All the akharas have agreed to it,” he said.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, reacting to the stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, which left 15 feared dead, demanded that those responsible for the false claims of a ‘world-class system’ take moral responsibility for the tragedy and resign from their positions.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav says that the administration and management of the Mahakumbh should be immediately handed over to the army instead of the Uttar Pradesh government.

“Now that the truth behind the claims of providing a ‘world-class arrangement’ has been exposed for all to see, those who made these claims and spread false propaganda should take moral responsibility for the lives lost in this tragedy and resign from their positions,” Akhilesh wrote on X.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: The Uttar Pradesh police are trying to vacate the Akhara Marg amid huge influx of devotees, reports PTI.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: In the wake of a stampede in Mahakumbh, UP CM has urged devotees to not believe in any rumour.

“Till 8.30am, around 3.5 crore pilgrims have taken holy dip. The administration is doing their job. I appeal to the devotees, saints to not believe any rumour, they can take holy dip anywhere, it is not necessary to take a dip at Sangam nose,” CM Yogi Adityanath said.

“Senior citizens, children, and people with respiratory ailments should take the holy dip anywhere, there is Ganga water everywhere. We want cooperation from them, then we will be able to ensure a safe pilgrimage,” he adds.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: UP CM Yogi Adityanath says that he is continuously monitoring the situation in Prayagraj with senior officers. He issued an appeal to devotees to be patient, bathe at ghats near them, and not to push for coming towards the Sangam nose.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: “Since Mauni Amavasya mahurat started last night, a large number of devotees have been coming in. The prime minister has taken stock of the situation four times till now. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Governor Anandiben Patel are also continuously taking reports of the situation,” UP CM Yogi Adityanath says.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath says that some devotees suffered serious injuries when they were trying to cross barricading on Akhara Marg early Wednesday.

He adds that the situation in Prayagraj is under control, but the crowd size remains massive.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says: "The news of several people being killed and many being injured due to stampede at Prayagraj Mahakumbh is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured.

"Mismanagement and the administration's special focus on VIP movement instead of common devotees are responsible for this tragic incident... I request Congress workers and leaders to help the affected families," he adds.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: After the deadly stampede broke out at the Triveni Sangam at Maha Kumbh mela in Prayagraj, religious leader Premanand Puri has blamed the administration for the tragedy, saying that it was busy catering to the VIPs.

“The administration was busy serving the VIPs. I saw that every VIP that attended the Maha Kumbh, the administration was busy just catering to them, it was not bothered with any preparations for the Kumbh,” he says. Read more.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hit out at the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government over stampede.

"Half-baked arrangements, VIP movement, paying more attention to self-promotion and mismanagement are responsible for this. Such arrangements despite spending thousands of crores of rupees are condemnable," the Congress chief says in a post in Hindi on X.

"Many important 'shahi snans' are still left, so the central and state governments should wake up now, and improve the system so that such unpleasant incidents do not happen in future," Kharge adds.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge says: "During the Maha Kumbh, the news of stampede on the banks of Teerthraj Sangam in which several people lost their lives and many others got injured is extremely heart-wrenching. Our deepest condolences to the families of the devotees and we wish for the speedy recovery of the injured... Our Congress workers are requested to provide all possible help to the victims."

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath is constantly monitoring the Kumbh situation in the war room. Senior officials are also present.

Mahakumbh 2025 LIVE: AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal says: "The stampede incident in Mahakumbh is extremely sad. I pray for the peace of the souls of the devotees who lost their lives in this accident. May God give strength to their families to bear this immense sorrow. A humble appeal to all devotees is to maintain patience and be cautious. Follow the instructions of the administration and take care of each other's safety."