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Mahakumbh stampede: Yogi announces judicial probe, report in a month
The judicial panel, headed by retired Justice Harsh Kumar, includes former DGP VK Gupta and retired IAS officer DK Singh.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced a judicial probe into the Mahakumbh-2025 stampede that left 30 dead and 60 injured on Mauni Amavasya. A three-member judicial commission has been tasked with submitting its report within a month.
The state government has also announced financial assistance of ₹25 lakh for the families of each deceased. “The incident is not just heartrending but also a lesson for us,” said Yogi, appearing visibly emotional.
The judicial panel, headed by retired Justice Harsh Kumar, includes former DGP VK Gupta and retired IAS officer DK Singh. An order issued for the probe said the terms of reference for the judicial commission include (1) to ascertain reasons and circumstances that led to the incident and (2) suggest measures to check such an incident in future.
“A police probe will also be conducted to determine the factors that led to the incident,” he added.
Chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and DGP Prashant Kumar will visit Prayagraj on Thursday to assess and reinforce crowd management strategies for the upcoming bathing days, according to the CM.
“The tragedy unfolded at Akhara Marg near the Sangam as lakhs gathered for the auspicious Mauni Amavasya ‘snan.’ While many pilgrims had taken the holy dip on Tuesday night, others waited for the auspicious time (Brahm Mahurat). The overwhelming pressure of an estimated 8 crore devotees added to the chaos, despite prior crowd control measures,” said CM Yogi.
Emergency response teams, including NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force), were mobilised swiftly. “A green corridor was created to rush the injured to hospitals, with 36 still undergoing treatment in Prayagraj,” he said.
To manage the exodus, UPSRTC (Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) has deployed 8,000 buses, and Indian Railways has operated 300 special trains. “The administration is in constant coordination with Akharas, Shankaracharyas, and religious heads to streamline the remaining bathing days,” he added.
