On Monday, the Supreme Court said it would not look at a plea that asked for action against the Uttar Pradesh government. This plea was about the recent stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival that caused at least 30 people to die and 60 to get hurt. The court called this incident “unfortunate” and advised the lawyer, Vishal Tiwari, to take his case to the Allahabad High Court instead.
The Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar told Tiwari that there is already a similar case in the high court and he should address his concerns there. Tiwari’s plea claimed that the Uttar Pradesh government failed to manage the crowd safely during the busiest day of the six-week Maha Kumbh festival called “Mauni Amavasya.”
Tiwari’s request included ideas to improve safety during big religious events. He suggested that states work together to help keep pilgrims safe and create information centers at the Kumbh for safety guidelines. His plea also asked for medical teams with doctors and nurses to be present during emergencies.
The stampede occurred early in the morning on January 29, as many people rushed to take a sacred dip in the river. Sadly, the crowd broke through police barriers, leading to the tragic event. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered an investigation into what happened. A special panel led by a retired judge is looking into this incident, along with two other experienced members from law enforcement and civil service.
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