Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh – After the tragic stampede at the Triveni Sangam during the Maha Kumbh Mela on Wednesday, religious leader Mahamandleshwar Premanand Puri criticized the local administration. He said they were more focused on serving VIPs than on keeping the thousands of devotees safe.
In a video that has been shared widely, Puri stated, “The administration was busy serving the VIPs. I saw that every VIP who came to the Maha Kumbh got special attention, while the preparations for the Kumbh were ignored.”
He also mentioned that the tragedy could have been avoided if the Indian Army had managed the event, a request made by many akharas at the mela. “All the akharas asked that the Kumbh be managed by the Indian Army. There are many people in our country who would serve selflessly. If the Kumbh had been handed over to the army, I don’t think this tragedy would have happened. I am very sad about this,” he said.
The stampede happened early on January 29, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 people, with many others injured. The chaos broke out as large crowds gathered at the Triveni Sangam to take part in the ‘shahi snan’ or ‘amrit snan’ during Mauni Amavasya, one of the most important days of the Maha Kumbh Mela.
After the incident, many devotees left the Sangam ghat without taking the holy dip, and several akharas have postponed or canceled their rituals because of the tragedy.
As the community mourns those who lost their lives, there are likely to be more calls for better safety measures and crowd management at such large events in the future.
