Mahakumbh Stampede Highlights: Bodies of victims to reach Karnataka today, says Minister

The 'Amrit Snan' ceremony, conducted by saints and seers from all 13 akharas on Mauni Amavasya, which had been postponed following a stampede at the Maha Kumbh, concluded at the Sangam on Wednesday evening, officials confirmed. The bathing ritual, which began in the afternoon after crowd control measures were put in place, was completed by around 7:30 pm. Originally scheduled for the auspicious 'Brahma Muhurat' in the early morning, the ritual had to be delayed due to the stampede near Sangam Nose.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced the formation of a three-member judicial commission to investigate the causes of the stampede. The commission will be led by Justice Harsh Kumar, with former DG VK Gupta and retired IAS officer VK Singh as members. Additionally, CM Yogi has declared an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh for the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy. "It is important to get to the bottom of the whole episode on how such a tragedy occurred," a visibly emotional Adityanath said, adding that the chief secretary and DGP would visit the Maha Kumbh on Thursday for an in-depth probe into the tragic incident.

"25 of the 30 killed in Maha Kumbh stampede identified; 36 undergoing treatment, some sent with family," said DIG Vaibhav Krishna.

"30 people have lost their lives in the Maha Kumbh stampede that took place between 1-2 AM. 25 people have been identified and the identification of the remaining 5 is being done," said DIG Mahakumbh, Vaibhav Krishna.

A doctor says at least 17 people have died and 30 are injured in a stampede at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in India, news agency AP reported.

Shoes, slippers, and clothes lay scattered at the scene, reflecting the chaos that erupted at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh early Wednesday. Devotees shared harrowing accounts of the incident, describing how people were jostling and pushing one another in a frantic rush to bathe at the auspicious moment of Mauni Amavasya.

“Many devotees had patiently waited for the auspicious hour. Several of them were sitting on the ground, and some were even lying down near the ghats. The bathing site was barricaded....Past midnight a sudden surge of devotees led to barricades coming apart, and in the melee many people who were sleeping or sitting on the ground were run over,” said Madhumita, a devotee from Assam

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives in the stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh. He also urged all Kannadigas attending the event to remain cautious and stay safe, following reports of some devotees from the state being injured. He said, "Saddened by the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj this morning, which claimed several lives. My condolences to the bereaved families, and prayers for the departed souls. Wishing a speedy recovery to the injured."

Nearly 40 bodies were brought to a hospital morgue near the site of a stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival in Uttar Pradesh, India, according to three police sources who spoke to Reuters. As of yet, there has been no official casualty update from local authorities, nearly twelve hours after the tragic incident, which occurred when pilgrims rushed to take a dip in the holy river.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held the administration responsible for the stampede-like chaos at the Maha Kumbh, urging an end to VIP culture and calling for more effective crowd management measures. Singh said, "I saw a woman desperately trying to give oxygen from her mouth to her family member to save him. This is heartbreaking."

"We never wanted to comment on this, but the reality is clear -- VIP culture is the main problem. Roads are being closed for VIP movement, causing chaos for the devotees," he alleged.

On Mauni Amawasya, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj says, "All the three Shankaracharyas of the country are going to take a holy dip here today. The incident that took place late last night is unfortunate and everyone is sad but we should be cautious that no such incident happens in the future. I appeal to the devotees to remain patient and take a holy dip anywhere in the Kumbh Kshetra. There is no specific place where devotees should gather to take the dip..."