The stampede was reported Wednesday as millions of pilgrims tried to reach the waters for a sacred dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Kumbh Mela.
Mahakumbh DIG Vaibhav Krishna said the the stampede was triggered by pilgrims pushing against barricades in an attempt to reach the holy waters.
Mahakumbh: Check 5 key changes at Sangam
- No-Vehicle Zone: A no vehicle zone has been created at Prayagraj and the entry of all types of vehicles is strictly prohibited in the Mahakumbh mela area.
- VVIP passes canceled: Special passes will not be given to VVIPS.
- One-way routes: A one-way traffic route system has also been imposed to streamline the movement of devotees.
- No entry for vehicles: The state government said the cars coming from neighbouring districts of Prayagraj are being stopped at district borders to reduce congestion.
- Restrictions till February 4: The Entry of four-wheelers into the city has been fully banned until this date to maintain order.
Moreover, IAS officers Ashish Goyal and Bhanu Goswami have been directed to reach Prayagraj immediately to strengthen the crowd management efforts. These bureaucrats played a key role in successfully managing the 2019 Ardh Kumbh along with Vijay Kiran.
The development comes as at least 30 people have been killed and 60 were injured in the pre-dawn stampede on Wednesday at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj here, a top police officer said.
Twenty-five bodies have been identified and the rest are yet to be identified, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Kumbh, Vaibhav Krishna, said in a press conference.
“A total of 30 people have died unfortunately in the stampede that took place at the Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj. Twenty-five bodies have been identified and the rest five are yet to be identified,” he said.
Among the deceased, four are from Karnataka, one from Assam and one from Gujarat, the DIG said. Further, he said that 36 people were being treated at a local medical college.
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