New Delhi:
At least 30 people died and 60 others were injured in a pre-dawn stampede at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj yesterday. Devotees were prepared to take the holy dip at Triveni Sangam – where rivers Ganga, Yamuna and mythical river Saraswati meet – on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days.
Satellite images, accessed exclusively by NDTV, show the fair area hours after the stampede. The bird’s eye view of the site shows hundreds of thousands of devotees in Prayagraj close to the shore to take the holy dip which was deferred for a few hours after the stampede.
A picture (see above) taken from space shows the ‘Sangam Nose’, the point of confluence for Yamuna, Ganga and Saraswati. Thousands of devotees can be seen lined up for their turns to take the holy dip. An enclosure has been made – surrounded by boats – a few metres from the Sangam shore where devotees take the holy dip.
The images were captured during the day, hours after the stampede. A zoomed-in picture shows hundreds of boats anchored close to the shore. These boats take the devotees to ‘Triveni Sangam’ for the holy dip.
Tens of thousands of devotees are present on the shore and ready to take the holy dip. High res here
The image shows people from all directions moving towards the ‘Sangam Nose’ and hundreds of boats in the vicinity. Reportedly, devotees streamed into the tent city built a kilometre away from the Triveni Sangam. The announcement of casualties came hours after local reports and Prayagraj residents posted on social media about deaths at the stampede.
Devotees from all directions move towards the ‘Sangam Nose’. High res here
Around 1 am, the barricades broke and people fell on those who were sitting, leading to chaos and a stampede. The Uttar Pradesh government has built a temporary settlement near the Sangam. Over a thousand, small and big tents have been built. These tents can accommodate millions of visitors daily.
A temporary city has sprung up across 4,000 hectares (9,990 acres) on the river banks – the size of 7,500 football fields – with 150,000 tents to accommodate devotees and almost an equal number of toilets.
A temporary city has sprung up across 4,000 hectares (9,990 acres) on the river banks. High res here
About 69,000 LED and solar lights illuminate the paths through the settlement, kept clean by 15,000 sanitation workers.
The path leading towards the Sangam is packed with devotees who are heading for the holy dip. Thousands of pilgrims completed the rituals on other ghats but the one close to the Sangam is more popular.
A zoomed-in image of the temporary settlement shows thousands of people at the cross-section. These tents have been built on the banks of the river and several small bridges have been constructed for the movement of people and vehicles.
Tens of thousands of devotees are present at cross-sections in the temporary settlement area. High res here
The Uttar Pradesh government said more than 57.1 million devotees took a holy dip in the Triveni waters yesterday. The number of Kalpwasis, who observe month-long spiritual austerities, exceeded 1 million.
The total footfall for the ongoing Magh Mela has now surpassed 199.4 million, even as a stampede-like situation briefly occurred due to the overwhelming rush at key bathing ghats.
A satellite picture gives a bird’s eye view of the entire area, showing a railway bridge being constructed to connect the two banks and a walkover bridge to its right for the devotees. At least 10 pontoon bridges – A bridge that floats on water and is supported by hollow containers called pontoons – have been built to connect the banks of the river.
A satellite picture gives a bird’s eye view of the Maha Kumbh area. High res here
After the tragic incident, several changes have been made by the administration – Entry of all types of vehicles is strictly prohibited in the Maha Kumbh fair area. The satellite image from yesterday showed hundreds of vehicles being parked near the temporary settlements.
No special passes will allow vehicle entry, eliminating any exceptions. A one-way traffic system has been enforced to streamline the movement of devotees. Vehicles arriving from neighbouring districts of Prayagraj are being stopped at district borders to reduce congestion. Entry of four-wheelers into the city is completely banned until this date to maintain order.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a judicial inquiry and a three-member commission has been set up to probe the incident.