The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a PIL seeking action against Uttar Pradesh state officials for the stampede which occurred at the Maha Kumbh Mela last week.

The Court asked the petitioner, Advocate Vishal Tiwari, to approach the Allahabad High Court. "It is an unfortunate incident, something which is of concern. but go to the High Court. There is already a judicial commission constituted" CJI told Tiwari, who said that stampede incidents were becoming regular.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the State of Uttar Pradesh, informed the bench that a judicial inquiry was already underway into the tragic incident. Additionally, he noted that a similar petition had been submitted before the High Court.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar dismissed the plea, granting the petitioner the liberty to approach the High Court for further legal recourse.

The petition, filed by Advocate Vishal Tiwari, accused the Uttar Pradesh government of grave negligence, asserting that the authorities had failed to prevent the catastrophic stampede despite clear risks. The plea pointed to “lapses, negligence, and utter failure of administration” in crowd management at the grand religious gathering. It also called for the establishment of a dedicated ‘devotee aid cell’ at Maha Kumbh and other Kumbh Mela events to enhance safety and emergency response mechanisms.

Further, the petition sought comprehensive policy reforms across all states to improve crowd control measures during large-scale religious congregations. It urged the Supreme Court to issue directives mandating the deployment of medical aid teams from various states at the Maha Kumbh, ensuring better coordination with the UP Government in times of crisis.

The tragic stampede unfolded in the early hours of January 29 at the sacred Sangam holy dip point, reportedly killed 30 devotees.