New Delhi: The stampede that broke out in the wee hours of Wednesday at the Maha Kumbh Mela was not the first such incident at the world’s biggest religious congregation. The Kumbh Mela has seen several stampedes in the past too.
When an elephant went berserk (1954, Allahabad): In 1954, the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) was held with great fervour and enthusiasm. It was the first Kumbh after India’s Independence, and thus very historic. However, it turned out to be grim pilgrimage for many when on February 3, 1954, a stampede broke out as thousands of devotees gathered for a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya. It is believed that over 800 people were either trampled to death or drowned in the river.
Reports say that the chaos broke out after an elephant went berserk at the venue. It was after this tragedy that authorities put a permanent ban on the use of elephants in Kumbh Mela processions. The then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru clamped a ban on VIP visits during the peak bathing days to avoid any crowd management issues.
When top leaders came calling and..(1986, Haridwar): In 1986, a similar tragedy swept the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. More than 200 people died in the stampede. It all reportedly happened when the then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Veer Bahadur Singh, came calling in Haridwar accompanied by a number of Chief Ministers and Members of Parliament from various states. As security personnel stopped the public from going to the riverbanks, the crowd became unruly and went out of control, causing the tragic stampede.
When people broke barricade or were shoved (2003, Nashik): Another stampede took place in Maharashtra’s Nashik in 2003 when pilgrims surged at the Godavari River for the holy dip during the Kumbh Mela. A total of 41 people lost their lives in the deadly stampede. More than 100 people were left injured. The then Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said that the tragedy occurred when pilgrims, eager to take the holy dip, broke through a barricade and surged forward, causing several people to fall. The then Minister of State for Home, Kripashankar Singh, pointed out that the stampede happened when some people bent down to retrieve their footwear and were pushed from behind.
When a car accident/clash triggered confusion (2010, Haridwar): In 2010, hours before the last ‘Shahi Snan’ on April 14, a stampede killed seven people, including women, in Haridwar. The chaos broke out near the Laltara bridge, on Bholagiri Road, close to a small red Hanuman mandir and Chotiwala restaurant due to a car accident. However, some eyewitnesses had claimed the stampede was sparked by clashes between sadhus and devotees.
When chaos broke out on overbridge (2013, Allahabad): On February 10, 2013, during the Kumbh Mela, people were taking a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya. A large number of pilgrims had already reached Prayagraj Junction (Allahabad). All the platforms were bursting at the seams. There was also a massive crowd on the overbridges. Around 7 pm, a stampede suddenly broke out on the stairs of the foot overbridge leading to platform six. In the chaos, many people fell from the overbridge while several others were trampled by the crowd. As many as 42 people died and 45 others were left injured in the incident.
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