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Maha Kumbh Live Updates: UP Congress to hold ‘shanti paath’ for stampede victims

THE TIMES OF INDIA | Feb 01, 2025, 15:39:18 IST

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: UP Congress to hold ‘shanti paath’ for stampede victims

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar will visit Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Saturday following the recent stampede that claimed at least 30 lives. UP DGP has deployed seven senior police officers for Basant Panchami Snan, while the state government earlier assigned seven IAS officers for security and crowd management. The stampede toll stands at 48, exceeding the official count of 30, with discrepancies in state-wise figures. Reports suggest a second unacknowledged stampede near Sangam, prompting Mela police to scan CCTV footage. A judicial panel, led by Justice (Retd.) Harsh Kumar, has begun its probe. Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP government of concealing the actual toll and denying death certificates to some victims, questioning possible evasion of compensation. Stay with TOI for live updates.

15:39 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar takes holy dip at Sangam

15:09 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: VP Jagdeep Dhankhar arrive in Prayagraj

— ANI (@ANI)

14:23 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: UP Congress to hold ‘Shanti Paath’ for stampede victims

The Uttar Pradesh Congress will organize a ‘Shanti Paath’ (prayer meet) to honor those who lost their lives in the Maha Kumbh stampede on Mauni Amavasya. UP Congress President Ajay Rai will lead the religious ceremony, which will be conducted by Brahmins from Varanasi on February 5. The Congress Sewa Dal, currently stationed in Sector 15 of the Mela Kshetra, will oversee and coordinate the rituals.

14:04 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Diplomats from 77 nations reach Mela Kshetra

14:01 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: SP MP Dimple Yadav demands answers on tragedy

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav stated, "Nothing new was there in the budget. Samajwadi Party demands that govt give the details of all those devotees who lost their lives in Maha Kumbh. We demand the state govt to tell the reason behind the tragedy and also if they'll punish the officers responsible for that." She emphasized the need for transparency and accountability from the government regarding the incident.

13:58 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Bolivia’s envoy calls it a once-in-a-lifetime experience

— ANI (@ANI)

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12:50 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath visits Satua Baba Ashram

— PTI_News (@PTI_News)

12:00 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath inspects the stampede site at Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj.

11:54 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: A delegation of 118 members, comprising Heads of Mission (HoM), spouses of HoMs, and diplomats from 77 countries, has arrived in Prayagraj

11:48 (IST) Feb 01

Watch: Yogi Adityanath conducts aerial survey of Maha Kumbh area

— ANI (@ANI)

11:25 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: CM Yogi Adityanath is conducting an aerial survey to assess the road infrastructure leading to Prayagraj.

11:21 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: CM Yogi Adityanath to visit Prayagraj, join VP Jagdeep Dhankhar in key events

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is scheduled to visit Prayagraj today, marking his first visit since the recent stampede during the Maha Kumbh. During his visit, he will extend a warm welcome to vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar and participate alongside him in various Maha Kumbh-related programs.

11:17 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: South African envoy calls Maha Kumbh a ‘global celebration of humanity’

Anil Sooklal, High Commissioner of South Africa to India, expressed gratitude for the Ministry of External Affairs' initiative in facilitating the delegation’s visit to the Maha Kumbh. Calling it a "once in a lifetime experience," he emphasized the uniqueness of this Maha Kumbh, which occurs once every 144 years. He further highlighted its significance beyond India and Hinduism, describing it as a "global celebration of humanity" that unites people from across the world. "You have seen millions of people from all over the world coming together, and this is what India is about… ensuring that we all pray for peace, which is what the world needs at this time," he remarked.

11:13 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Nepal’s ambassador emphasizes cultural and spiritual ties with India

Dr. Shankar Prasad Sharma, Nepal's Ambassador to India, expressed his deep appreciation for the Maha Kumbh, calling it "a very sacred occasion" and "a great opportunity" to join millions in seeking blessings through the holy Snan. He highlighted the festival’s profound significance beyond its religious aspects, emphasizing its role in strengthening the "cultural, civilizational, and religious linkages" between Nepal and India. "I am happy that I will be a part of it," he stated, acknowledging the shared spiritual heritage between the two nations.

11:10 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Japanese diplomat eager to experience spiritual grandeur

Ambassador of Japan to India, Keiichi ONO, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming visit to the Maha Kumbh, highlighting the significance of the event. "I am very happy that the state government and the Ministry of External Affairs are arranging this visit for the diplomats. The Maha Kumbh Mela is a very special event, especially this year. So I am looking forward to going there to understand the Hindu culture," he stated.

11:08 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: 'It will probably be one of the highlights of my experiences in India,' says Mexican ambassador

Federico Salas, Ambassador of Mexico to India, expressed his enthusiasm about witnessing the grand gathering and the deep spiritual devotion associated with it. "I'm very excited about the possibility of seeing this huge gathering firsthand and the religious fervour that comes with it. So I'm really looking forward to it. I think it will probably be one of the highlights of my experiences in India. So I'm really excited about this trip. Taking a dip is significant as a way to cleanse yourself and purify your body and mind," he stated.

11:05 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Estonian ambassador expresses excitement over visit

Marje Luup, Estonia’s Ambassador to India, shared her enthusiasm about witnessing the grand event, stating, "Very excited. This is a very important event for India and also for all of us. This happens very rarely. 70 visitors from Estonia are also going to the Maha Kumbh... I am very grateful to the Ministry of External Affairs for giving us the opportunity to visit there... some of us will also take a dip."

11:01 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: A high-level delegation comprising 118 members, including Heads of Mission (HoMs), their spouses, and diplomats from 77 countries, is set to visit the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj today.

09:12 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: As of 8am today, over 10 lakh Kalpwasis and 44.26 lakh pilgrims have visited the Maha Kumbh, bringing the total number of devotees who have taken a holy dip to over 54.26 lakh. With this, the cumulative Snan count till January 31, 2025, has surpassed 31.46 crore.

09:06 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Devotees throng Prayagraj for holy dip at Triveni Sangam, drone visuals capture mela area

— PTI_News (@PTI_News)

08:47 (IST) Feb 01

Watch: Devotees continue to arrive at ghats for holy dip in Maha Kumbh Mela

— ANI (@ANI)

08:38 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar to visit Prayagraj today

Vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar is scheduled to visit the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Saturday, officials confirmed. He is expected to arrive around 2.15pm.

His visit comes in the wake of the recent stampede at the Maha Kumbh site in the Sangam area, which claimed at least 30 lives. Dhankhar will be accompanied by his spouse, Sudesh Dhankhar.

The vice-president is expected to return to Delhi later in the evening.

08:37 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Additional senior officers deployed for Basant Panchami Snan

In preparation for the Basant Panchami Snan on February 3, Uttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar has directed the deployment of seven additional senior police officers at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.

Earlier on Wednesday, the state government reinforced the Maha Kumbh administration by assigning seven IAS officers to Prayagraj. The move aims to enhance security, streamline crowd management, and ensure efficient law enforcement during the large-scale gathering of devotees.

On Mauni Amavasya, the Mela witnessed an influx of 7.6 crore pilgrims, followed by an average footfall of 2 crore devotees over the next two days.

08:37 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Akhilesh Yadav accuses govt of concealing stampede toll

Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday held the BJP government responsible for the Maha Kumbh stampede, which claimed at least 30 lives, citing news reports to allege that the actual death toll was being concealed.

"Devotees have lost their loved ones in the stampede and have also lost confidence in the govt. The BJP govt is hiding the actual death toll in stampede," he stated.

08:36 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Judicial panel begins probe into Mauni Amavasya stampede

The three-member judicial commission appointed by the state government to investigate Tuesday’s Mauni Amavasya stampede arrived in Sangam City on Friday and inspected the site of the incident.

Justice (Retd.) Harsh Kumar, who heads the panel, stated that the commission would conduct a detailed examination of the site's topography and the circumstances leading to the tragedy. Additionally, CCTV footage and other critical evidence will be thoroughly reviewed to establish the precise causes of the stampede.

08:36 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Police to verify reports of 2nd stampede near Sangam

Eyewitness accounts suggesting an unreported second stampede near Sangam, occurring just hours after the Mauni Amavasya incident that claimed 30 lives, have prompted the Maha Kumbh police administration to commit to "finding out facts related to the incident, if any, by scanning CCTV footage."

Multiple media outlets and social media reports quoted witnesses who claimed that several people sustained injuries in the alleged 6 AM recurrence of Wednesday’s Akhara Marg stampede. The chaos was reportedly triggered when waves of pilgrims rushed towards the ghats just as those who had completed their ritual bath at Sangam were making their way back. Some reports have alleged "six to seven casualties" in the incident.

DIG (Maha Kumbh) Vaishnav Krishna told TOI that Mela police would conduct a probe into the matter.

08:35 (IST) Feb 01

Maha Kumbh Live Updates: Discrepancies emerge in stampede toll reports

The death toll from the Maha Kumbh stampede stands at 48, based on reports from various states—18 more than the official figure of 30 provided by the Mela police. However, the Maha Kumbh District Magistrate clarified that several casualties in the Mela area have occurred due to other reasons.

Data compiled by TOI bureaus highlights inconsistencies in the figures released by Mela police. Notably, deaths reported from Bihar (7), Rajasthan (3), and Uttarakhand (1) are absent from the state-wise breakdown provided by Uttar Pradesh police.

Additionally, Madhya Pradesh has reported five fatalities—three more than the official count—while West Bengal's toll stands at four, exceeding the UP police figure by two. Jharkhand has recorded one more death than the UP authorities' data, while Karnataka has reported five fatalities, one higher than the official count.

Vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar, accompanied by his spouse, will visit Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Saturday and return to Delhi later in the evening. His visit follows the recent stampede that claimed at least 30 lives.

UP DGP ordered the deployment of seven senior police officers for Basant Panchami Snan. Earlier, seven IAS officers were sent to Prayagraj for security and crowd management. The Mela saw 7.6 crore pilgrims on Mauni Amavasya, followed by 2 crore on subsequent days.

The Maha Kumbh stampede toll stands at 48, exceeding the official count of 30. Several states reported higher casualties than UP police data, highlighting discrepancies.

Reports suggest a second unacknowledged stampede near Sangam hours after the first. Mela police will scan CCTV footage to verify claims.

A judicial panel, led by Justice (Retd.) Harsh Kumar, arrived in Prayagraj to probe the Mauni Amavasya stampede, analyzing site conditions and CCTV evidence.

Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP government of hiding the actual stampede toll and alleged denial of death certificates to some victims' families, questioning possible compensation evasion.

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