India: Top court to hear PIL demanding action over Maha Kumbh stampede

Dubai: The Supreme Court is set to hear on Monday a public interest litigation (PIL) calling for legal action against authorities and officials whose “negligent conduct” led to a tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh, claiming the lives of at least 30 people and injuring around 60 others.

The petition, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, will be heard by a bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar on February 3.

The petition underscores the severe lapses, negligence, and complete failure of administration that resulted in the catastrophic event.

It contends that the authorities failed to maintain basic safety measures and adequately manage the massive crowd at one of India’s most significant religious events. The plea emphasizes that despite decades of similar incidents—dating back to the 1954 Kumbh Mela stampede—there has been no meaningful reform in the administration’s approach to crowd control and public safety.

The PIL highlights the recurrent tragedies at major religious events, driven by overcrowding and poor management, and argues that the failure to learn from past incidents is evident. The petition calls for a collective responsibility from all states to ensure the safety of pilgrims, particularly those from economically vulnerable backgrounds, who often bear the brunt of such disasters.

The petition demands that the Uttar Pradesh government provide a status report on the stampede and initiate legal action against the negligent officials. It also calls for urgent reforms, including the establishment of facilitation centers at Prayagraj, installation of multilingual signage, and dissemination of safety protocols via SMS and WhatsApp.

The plea stresses the need for coordination between state and local governments to ensure sufficient medical personnel and emergency services at the event.

Additionally, the petitioner urges the Court to regulate VIP movement during the event to prevent congestion and prioritize public safety over protocols. The petition argues that the safety and well-being of millions of devotees must not be compromised, and that the failure of government authorities to prevent such incidents must be held accountable.

Meanwhie, a three-member judicial commission, formed to investigate the incident, visited Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital in Prayagraj. The commission has been tasked with examining the causes and circumstances of the tragedy and will submit its report within a month.

Meanwhile, over 5.42 million devotees took dip on Saturday in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati in the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.

Among these, over 1 million Kalpavasis and 4.42 million pilgrims have taken a dip in the Triveni waters.

As of January 31, over 314.6 million have already taken a dip in the sacred confluence of three rivers since the commencement of the event.

Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13, will continue till February 26. The remaining significant ‘snan’ dates in Maha Kumbh are February 3 (Basant Panchami--Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).

Meanwhile, a three-member judicial commission, formed to investigate the incident, visited Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital in Prayagraj. The commission has been tasked with examining the causes and circumstances of the tragedy and will submit its report within a month.

More than 5.42 million devotees took dip on Saturday in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati in the Maha Kumbh.

Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13, will continue till February 26. The remaining significant ‘snan’ dates in Maha Kumbh are February 3 (Basant Panchami--Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).