Maha Kumbh Stampede Sparks Social Media Outrage, Raising Questions Over Administration

Mahakumbh Stampede: A stampede during the Mauni Amavasya snan (holy bath) at the Prayagraj Mahakumbh has resulted in the death of 17 devotees, sparking widespread anger on social media.

Stampede at Mahakumbh: Following the death of 17 devotees in a stampede during the Mauni Amavasya bath at the Prayagraj Mahakumbh, anger has erupted on social media. Devotees and the general public are questioning the administration’s arrangements. Many people have shared videos and pictures of the disorganisation at the Mahakumbh on Twitter (now X), Facebook, and Instagram, showing crowds of devotees pushing and shoving without any control. Many on social media are demanding that the mela area’s security be handed over to the army to prevent such incidents in the future.

Accusing the administration, people say that ordinary devotees struggled with the chaotic crowds and disorganisation. Several users described the government as ‘busy with publicity, negligent in arrangements’. Saints and devotees from the Akhara Parishad have also expressed their displeasure at the administration’s negligence. People say that if better security arrangements had been in place, this tragedy could have been avoided.

महाकुंभ में अव्यवस्थाजन्य हादसे में श्रद्धालुओं के हताहत होने का समाचार बेहद दुखद है। श्रद्धांजलि!

हमारी सरकार से अपील है कि:
– गंभीर रूप से घायलों को एअर एंबुलेंस की मदद से निकटतम सर्वश्रेष्ठ हॉस्पिटलों तक पहुंचाकर तुरंत चिकित्सा व्यवस्था की जाए।
– मृतकों के शवों को चिन्हित… pic.twitter.com/xZcaU940cO

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) January 29, 2025

A user named Prabhakar Kumar wrote, “This incident is very sad. News is coming in of a stampede at the Mahakumbh. I request every one to take care of yourselves.”

बहुत दुखद है।
महाकुंभ में भगदड़ मचने की खबर आ रही है। सभी से निवेदन है कि आप अपना ख्याल रखें। #MahaKumbh2025 pic.twitter.com/ZXQIXBx2nV

— Prabhakar Kumar (@prabhakarjourno) January 29, 2025

Meanwhile, the user hell_geeks questioned the administration’s arrangements, stating that all the money was spent on advertising and pro-government media, resulting in the neglect of arrangements. The government paid no attention.

सब पैसा एडवर्टाइजमेंट और गोदी मीडिया में खर्चा किया गया तो ये होना ही था व्यस्था में कोई ध्यान नहीं दिया सरकार ने। https://t.co/kcwlYhkzx2

— hell_geeks (@1111_geeks) January 29, 2025

A user named A.K. Stalin wrote, “Today someone’s son is gone, someone’s father, someone’s husband… this is not just news, it’s the incompletion of someone’s entire life. The useless administration has completely failed! Officers immersed in VIP culture were only busy with the special guests, but there were no arrangements for ordinary devotees! Was the government organising the Kumbh Mela just for show? Did those innocent lives have no value? This accident is the biggest defeat of the system. May God give peace to those departed souls… but this negligence should not be forgotten.”

आज किसी का बेटा चला गया, किसी का पिता, किसी का सुहाग उजड़ गया… ये सिर्फ एक खबर नहीं, किसी के पूरे जीवन का अधूरा हो जाना है।

निकम्मा प्रशासन पूरी तरह फेल हो चुका है!
VIP संस्कृति में डूबे अधिकारी सिर्फ ख़ास मेहमानों की जी-हुज़ूरी में लगे रहे, लेकिन आम श्रद्धालुओं के लिए कोई… pic.twitter.com/iCTBKBKf4t

— A.K. Stalin (@iamAKstalin) January 29, 2025

Panic and chaos

According to eyewitnesses, pushing and shoving suddenly increased at the Sangam ghat, and people lost their balance. Security forces failed to control the situation, and due to the stampede, many devotees fell down, resulting in the death of several due to suffocation or being crushed.