Mahakumbh 2025: Yogi Adityanath says ‘we acted swiftly’ after stampede; dismisses reports of pollution at Sangam

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that the government acted swiftly after stampede at Mahakumbh in Prayagraj on January 29, and also dismissed reports of pollution at the Sangam during the Maha Kumbh.

“We acted swiftly to prevent panic after stampede during Maha Kumbh,” said Yogi Adityanath.

The Chief Minister made the remark while addressing a gathering of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Indian Postal Service officials in Lucknow.

At least 30 devotees were killed and 60 others injured at the Sangam ghat on Mauni Amavasya, a key bathing day of the Mahakumbh, after the stampede.

The Chief minister stated that he requested all Akharas at 3 am to postpone Mauni Amavasy Amrit Snan which was to begin from 4 am, reported PTI.

"I personally initiated dialogues to maintain order and ensure smooth execution of the event," he said.

According to the Uttar Pradesh government, over 66 crore pilgrims from across the world attended the religious event.

What Adityanath said on stampede

— Determining the bathing order among the Akharas, which has historically led to disputes, and ensuring the ritual proceeds smoothly at the scheduled time of 4 AM, were the two major challenges.

— Despite the tragedy, all Akhadas were prepared to go ahead with the 'snan', but the administration intervened to postpone the event.

"In difficult situations, many people panic and give up, but we must develop the strength to make firm decisions with patience and control."

UP CM on pollution claims

Despite baseless claims, our state pollution control board and independent labs consistently found water quality at the Sangam to be within safe limits, said Yogi Adityanath.

According to ANI, Yogi Adityanath pointed out that concerns about the environmental impact of the Maha Kumbh had been raised, including by UNESCO, given the massive scale of the event.

"The most critical pollution point in Uttar Pradesh was Kanpur, where for 125 years, four crore litres of untreated sewage flowed into the Ganga daily at Jajmau. We stopped it three years ago, and today, not a single drop of sewage enters the river," he said.

The CM added, “We challenged those spreading misinformation and provided our lab data. Ultimately, even the CPCB had to acknowledge the accuracy of our findings.”