1954-2025: Stampedes that wrecked havoc during Maha Kumbh mela
PTC News Desk: A massive stampede like situation broke out at the Sangam on Wednesday morning during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela with more than 10 people feared dead and dozens injured.
The eyewitnesses while narrating their ordeal have revealed harrowing details and said many devotees were sleeping when the barricades suddenly broke, triggering a surge of uncontrollable crowds. The overwhelming crowd caused several women to faint and as the chaos escalated into a stampede like situation.
However similar incidents of stampede during Kumbh have been reported in the past.
1954: The first ever Kumbh after independence was held in 1954 which is known to be a landmark event in the history of India. The day is also remembered as one of the tragic Kumbh in the history as on 3 February 1954, a stampede broke out when influx of devotees reached Allahabad(now Prayagraj) tot ake holy dip on the auspicious occassion of Mauni Amavasya. Around 800 deaths were reported as some of them were crushed to death or drowned.
1986: A tragic stampede at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar resulted in the loss of at least 200 lives. The chaos began when the then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Veer Bahadur Singh, arrived in Haridwar with several other Chief Ministers and Members of Parliament from different states. As security forces limited access to the riverbanks for the public, the crowd became agitated and uncontrollable, culminating in the fatal stampede.
2003: In 2003, a stampede in Nashik, Maharashtra, resulted in the deaths of dozens of people as thousands of pilgrims gathered at the Godavari River for a holy dip during the Kumbh Mela. The tragedy claimed the lives of at least 39 individuals, including women, and left over 100 others injured.
2013: On February 10, 2013, a stampede occurred at Allahabad railway station during the Kumbh Mela after a footbridge collapsed, sparking panic among the crowds. The tragedy resulted in 42 fatalities and 45 injuries.
2025:The incident took place around 2 am on a Wednesday, with dense crowds gathered at the Sangam and other ghats along a 12-kilometer stretch of riverbanks for the Maha Kumbh leading to a stampede causing more than 10 casualties.
- PTC NEWS