Tragedy at Maha Kumbh: Stampede Leaves Many Injured, Eyewitnesses Recall Horrific Scenes

A stampede during the Mauni Amavasya holy dip in Prayagraj turned the Maha Kumbh Mela into a nightmare as devotees, who had thronged the Sangam in huge numbers, panicked when a portion of the barricades collapsed.
Neelam Srivastava, a local resident of Pritam Nagar in Prayagraj, witnessed the incident first-hand. Describing the mishap, she said, "We were bathing when the crowd ran amok. My sister-in-law fell down, and during the mayhem, we were separated. To this day, I have no idea whether she got up."
As said by Neelam, entry and exit pathways were similar that created critical congestion. She said, "This administration does not think in advance; many routes must be established for regulating the crowd".
Families Upset Over the Incident
The disaster left many families shattered. Suraj Yadav, who had traveled from Aurangabad, Bihar, lost his mother in the chaos. "We came as a group of 12-13 people, but the crowd surged, and my mother was crushed to death," he said.
Phoolchand Vishwakarma, one of the devotees, saw his wife killed in the stampede. "We had just completed our bath when a gate suddenly opened and people ran inside from both sides. My wife was crushed, and I was left stuck under the crowd for 30 minutes," he remembered.
What Caused the Stampede?
The stampede happened around 2 AM when thousands of people gathered at the Sangam for the sacred bath. Overwhelming crowd pressure caused barricades to collapse, and the whole place turned into a mess. People tripped over scattered belongings, making things worse.
Jayaprakash Swami from Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, is one of the devotees who witnessed the incident. "The crowd grew out of control, and people started stepping on each other. I saved a few individuals, but my mother was severely injured. It took over an hour for an ambulance and police to arrive."
Rescue and Current Situation
The emergency services also responded pretty soon, as nine ambulances were quickly deployed to the site. Many of the injured were rushed to different hospitals in Prayagraj. CM Yogi Adityanath has termed the situation under his control as the bathing rituals continue with the involvement of saints and devotees.
Also Read: Mahakumbh 2025: Authorities Urge Devotees to Follow Safety Guidelines in Prayagraj
Maha Kumbh tragedy has posed serious questions before the nation over crowd management and safety measures. Millions are still coming in the following days; so better planning can save many mishaps from occurring.