New Delhi, Feb 3: Jagadguru Rambhadracharya visited the Triveni Sangam on the occasion of Basant Panchami Amrit Snan during the Maha Kumbh on Monday to take a holy dip. Speaking on the tragic stampede that occurred during the Mauni Amavasya ritual, he attributed the incident to the “mistake of the people.”

His statement came amid ongoing debates surrounding the disaster that claimed the lives of 30 people and left over 60 injured.

Rambhadracharya remarked, "Today's atmosphere and Snan hold great significance, as it marks the day of Goddess Saraswati's divine appearance. We performed the Ganga-Jamuna rituals, and the arrangements were also very good, without any major difficulties. Though, what happened on the Mauni Amavasya day was a slight mistake of the people."

His comments reflect the view that the stampede could have been avoided if the crowd had been more orderly.

The stampede, which occurred on January 29, 2025, during the Mauni Amavasya, resulted in at least 30 fatalities and 60 injuries as a large number of pilgrims gathered at the Triveni Sangam to take a holy dip.

The death toll, however, has been reported to be higher, with some sources stating that 48 people lost their lives, including casualties from various other causes. Despite this, the Mela police reported an official toll of 30 deaths.

Rambhadracharya also responded to a controversial statement made by Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, who had claimed that those who died at the Maha Kumbh stampede were granted "moksha (liberation)".

The Jagadguru stated, "His words are not correct. We have sympathy for the families."

Meanwhile, on Basant Panchami Amrit Snan, as over 5 crore devotees are expected to gather, the state government has put extra precautionary measures into place, ensuring that the sequence of spiritual sects (akharas) for the holy dip is carefully managed.

The Sangam, the site of last week's deadly crowd crush is taking a more organised approach this time to prevent overcrowding and any potential accidents.

--IANS

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