Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, spoke on the need to keep the terrible stampede that took place at the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj under wraps. The rush on January 29 resulted in at least 30 deaths and 60 injuries.

Adityanath emphasized that his administration moved quickly to control the situation, guaranteeing prompt medical assistance and averting widespread panic among the roughly 80 million sadhus and devotees in attendance during a meeting of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Indian Postal Services in Lucknow on February 3.

The UP CM emphasized the need to avoid over-publicizing the incident in order to prevent making matters worse. He also pointed out that if panic had broken out, the large crowd may have caused further disruption.

According to the Chief Minister, he personally stepped in and asked the 13 Akhadas to postpone their planned “Amrit Snan” (holy plunge) in order to improve crowd control. Because of this calculated delay, authorities were able to leave the Sangam area by midday, allowing the ceremonies to safely continue around 2:30 PM.

“We did not allow the incident to be excessively highlighted as eight crore devotees and sadhus were present in Prayagraj and the Kumbh Mela area at the time and panic could have worsened the situation,” Yogi Adityanath was quoted as saying by PTI.

“In difficult situations, many people panic and give up, but we must develop the strength to make firm decisions with patience and control,” the Prime Minister said.

In his reflection on crisis management, Adityanath emphasized the need for making solid judgments under pressure while being calm and patient. In order to preserve order and guarantee the seamless operation of major events like the Maha Kumbh, he also emphasized the need of efficient coordination amongst stakeholders, including devotees, sadhus, and administrative authorities.

Held once every twelve years, the Maha Kumbh draws millions of pilgrims from all around the globe, making crowd control very difficult. The Uttar Pradesh government reports that over 660 million people attended this year’s festival.

“Maha Kumbh imparts discipline and patience. According to Yogi Adityanath, “Such events leave a lasting impact and contribute to national development, whether for faith or economy.”

“The event saw visits from the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, governors, chief ministers, 74 ambassadors and high commissioners, Bhutan’s King, 12 foreign ministers, and representatives from over 100 countries,” Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in reference to the international participation. Cricket players, movie stars, and business executives also participated.