The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking specific safety guidelines for devotees attending the Maha Kumbh, following a tragic stampede in the Sangam area of Prayagraj that resulted in at least 30 deaths and 60 injuries.
The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, noted that the Uttar Pradesh government had informed the court that a similar petition had already been filed in the Allahabad High Court. As a result, the Court suggested the matter should be addressed there instead.
Referring to the incident as unfortunate, the Court advised the petitioner, advocate Vishal Tiwari, to approach the Allahabad High Court for resolution.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, informed the Court that a judicial inquiry into the incident had been initiated.
The PIL, submitted by Advocate Vishal Tiwari, was filed on January 30, just a day after the tragic stampede occurred during Mauni Amavasya, one of the most important days in the Hindu calendar.
The petition accused the state government of failing to prevent the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh. It claimed there were significant administrative failures, negligence, and lapses on the part of the Uttar Pradesh Government. The petitioner also proposed the creation of a special ‘devotee aid cell’ at the Maha Kumbh and similar events.
Additionally, the plea requests the Court to direct all states to develop better crowd management policies and to deploy medical teams from various states at the Maha Kumbh, working in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh Government.