NEW DELHI: Eyewitnesses recounted the horror of the stampede that broke out at Sangam, Maha Kumbh on Wednesday early morning, leaving multiple injured.
An eyewitness described the harrowing experience at the stampede where a member went missing. “My sister, sister daughter in law, everyone was there. But one person was missing. They dragged him and took him away. He fell down. He fell down..,” she told IANS.
One eyewitness recounted how the emergence response at the world’s largest religious gathering in Prayagraj was delayed despite multiple calls for help. “We called the CRPF and the police a long time ago, but no one has come yet. It’s been half an hour, and we have taken our person to the hospital..,” she said.
Vidhya Sahu, another devotee travelled to attend the religious gathering from Karnataka, was a witness to the stampede narrated how the situation got out of control because of the crowd and people got stuck at a nearby pole. “We have come from Belagavi, Karnataka. We were just walking when people from behind pushed us and took us around. There was a pole in the opposite direction, and everyone got stuck near it..,” she said.
Jay Prakash Swami, who was at the Sangam with his family recollected how a family member had got stuck in the crowd and was unable to get up. “She had gotten trapped under the crowd and couldn’t get up. We were all stuck in the crowd. I was the first to get out, then I helped the children and my father and my mother..,” he said.
Also See:Maha Kumbh Stampede
Another devotee who awaits a companion who has gone missing in the stampede said: “We were stuck in the crowd. As soon as we reached near the Sangam, there was chaos. We managed to get out of the crowd but fell down and lost our way. We don’t know where we are. I am worried about my brother-in-law, Chandrapal…”
In a bid to stay together and avoid getting stuck amid the massive gathering, devotees were seen holding onto each other using clothes as makeshift ropes.
Adityanath appealed to the people to take bath at the Ganga shore nearest to them and avoid going towards the Sangam nose.
“Maha Kumbh-2025, dear devotees come to Prayagraj, Take bath at the ghat of Mother Ganga near which you are, do not try to go towards Sangam Nose. All of you should follow the instructions of the administration and cooperate in making arrangements. People are bathing peacefully at all the ghats of Sangam. Do not pay any attention to any rumours,” he said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Union home minister Amit Shah spoke to the UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and took stock of the situation. Meanwhile, the authorities have put the second Amrit Snan on hold as the rescue operations are underway.