So far, two stampede incidents have occurred—one at Prayagraj, the ‘epicenter,’ and another in the nation’s ‘power center,’ New Delhi. The stampede in Prayagraj on January 29 resulted in 30 deaths, while the one at New Delhi railway station last Friday, involving devotees headed to the Maha Kumbh, claimed 18 lives. These are official figures. However, just as many missing persons from the Prayagraj incident remain unaccounted for, there are allegations that the actual death toll from the Delhi incident has been suppressed. Numerous audio and video clips circulating widely suggest this.
On the other hand, there is a stark contrast in the arrangements—VIPs and VVIPs enjoy smooth and secure facilities, while ordinary devotees face extreme mismanagement. The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has been touting its ‘world-class crowd management’ since the Maha Kumbh Mela began on January 13. However, there are growing murmurs that this ‘world-class crowd management’ benefits only politicians, ministers, and their close circles. For common devotees, taking a holy dip at the Maha Kumbh Mela has become a difficult task—sometimes even a matter of life and death. The situation is dire: massive traffic jams stretching hundreds of kilometers, no space to board trains, and exorbitant airfare prices.
Amidst this severe mismanagement, reports suggest that the BJP government is planning to extend the Maha Kumbh Mela beyond its scheduled duration. Many believe that the Yogi Adityanath government is considering prolonging the fair instead of concluding it on February 25 as originally planned. The administration, security personnel, and officials deployed at the event are being asked to extend their duties, reinforcing the likelihood of an extension. So far, the Uttar Pradesh government has claimed that 500 million devotees have participated in this year’s Maha Kumbh Mela—an average of 34 million visitors per day. The presence of national leaders, celebrities from the glamour industry, and billionaire businessmen has further fueled public interest. Apart from South India, devotees from nearly half of the country have traveled to Prayagraj in unprecedented numbers, with many attributing this to the BJP’s influence.
Despite this, the government’s efforts to conceal the death toll at the Kumbh Mela and during the pilgrimage have raised serious concerns. The police in Prayagraj are reportedly assaulting and driving away relatives searching for missing persons from the January 29 stampede. Reliable news organizations are broadcasting numerous videos of such incidents daily. The secrecy surrounding the New Delhi railway station incident is even more striking. On the night of the incident, no official confirmation of any deaths was provided, and the media was kept in the dark.
This desperate attempt to suppress information has led to widespread questions—why is the government trying so hard to hide the truth? What is the real reason behind this approach? So far, no one has any answers.