NEW DELHI: A day after 30 pilgrims died and over 60 got injured in a stampede in Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, a PIL was filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking directions for measures to ensure safety and security of people attending the world’s largest religious gathering.
Filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, the PIL accused the Uttar Pradesh Government of “lapses, negligence and utter failure of administration” that led to the stampede.
He also sought action against UP Government officials for their alleged negligence and lapses that led to the stampede.
“Direct the State of Uttar Pradesh to submit status report on Maha Kumbh 2025 stampede incident that took place on January 29, 2025, and also direct to initiate legal action against the persons, authorities and officials for their negligent conduct,” the petitioner submitted.
Tiwari sought directions to state governments to prevent stampede at crowded places like Maha Kumbh and ensure safety and security of people attending religious festivals.
“All states governments with coordination of the Uttar Pradesh Government shall also deploy its small medical team at Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh, comprising doctors and nurses so that at the time of medical emergency there may not be shortage of medical staff,” Tiwari demanded.
He wanted the top court to issue directions to ensure that VIP movements did not affect or create danger to the common devotees’ safety and maximum space for entry and exit of devotees at Maha Kumbh was provided to pilgrims.
The PIL sought directions to all states to ask their facilitation centres at Prayagraj to provide basic information regarding the safety measures and guidelines to the pilgrims.
There should be proper arrangements for announcements, display boards showing direction, roads, etc., in multiple languages so that people from other states don’t face problems, the PIL submitted.