Maha Kumbh Stampede: PIL Filed in Supreme Court Seeking Safety Measures and Action Against Uttar Pradesh Officials
Safiya Malik
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court in the aftermath of the recent stampede at Maha Kumbh on January 29, 2025 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The petitioner seeks court directives to implement strict safety protocols, deploy medical teams, and establish multilingual information systems for pilgrims. The plea also demands a status report on the incident and legal action against officials allegedly responsible for negligence leading to the stampede, which resulted in at least 30 deaths and over 60 injuries.
The PIL has been filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, who has sought intervention from the Supreme Court to ensure that adequate safety measures are in place for pilgrims attending Maha Kumbh. The petitioner has raised concerns regarding the lack of proper crowd management and emergency response mechanisms, which, according to him, contributed to the January 29, 2025, stampede in the Sangam area of Prayagraj.
The petition requests directions to all State Governments to set up facilitation centers at Maha Kumbh to provide essential safety information to visitors from across the country. It further stated the necessity of multilingual display boards and public announcements to assist non-local pilgrims in navigating the event safely.
The petitioner has also sought the deployment of dedicated medical teams comprising doctors and nurses at key locations throughout the Maha Kumbh venue to prevent medical emergencies arising from inadequate healthcare support. The plea states: "All State Governments, in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh Government, shall also deploy small medical teams at Prayagraj Maha Kumbh comprising doctors and nurses so that at the time of medical emergencies there may not be a shortage of medical staff."
Additionally, the petitioner has urged the Supreme Court to direct the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a detailed status report on the incident. The plea states: "Direct the State of Uttar Pradesh to submit a status report on the Maha Kumbh 2025 stampede incident that took place on January 29, 2025, and also direct the initiation of legal action against the persons, authorities, and officials for their negligent conduct."
As the matter has been placed before the Supreme Court, the bench is expected to examine the claims raised in the petition, including the alleged lapses in crowd management, the absence of sufficient medical teams, and the need for structured safety regulations for large-scale religious gatherings.
The court will also consider whether there were violations of fundamental rights, particularly under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. The plea raises concerns about administrative accountability and calls for judicial intervention to prevent future tragedies.
While the Supreme Court has not yet made substantive observations, it is expected to deliberate on whether the alleged negligence of authorities warrants legal action and whether new safety guidelines must be introduced for events of this magnitude.
Case No: Writ Petititon No.86 of 2025
Case Title: Vishal Tiwari Vs Union of India
