Leaders cutting across party lines on Wednesday condoled the loss of lives during a stampede-like situation at Mahakumbh in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district, and appealed to the state government to provide adequate treatment to the injured.

At least 15 pilgrims are feared dead and over 50 people, mostly women, injured during the stampede-like situation in the Mahakumbh late Tuesday night even as the Amrit snan on Mauni Amavasya of the 13 Akharas commenced late Wednesday amid tight security measures.

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Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav issued a statement on social media X on Wednesday saying that the news of the casualties of devotees in the Mahakumbh is very sad.

“There is an appeal to our government that medical arrangements should be made immediately by transporting seriously injured to the nearest best hospitals. Besides, arrangements should be made to identify the bodies of the dead and hand them over to their families and send them to their residence,” he appealed.

“Monitoring should be increased by using the helicopter while arrangements should be made to carry out the ‘Amrit Snan of Mauni Amavasya’ amidst safe management, keeping the unbelievable-immortal tradition of ‘royal bath’, which has been going on since long. We also appeal to the devotees to work with restraint and patience in this difficult time and conclude their pilgrimage peacefully.

“The government should take lessons from yesterday’s incident and make additional arrangements for the stay, food and other facilities of the devotees. Wish for early health benefits of all those who were hurt in the accident,” Yadav added.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said the incident is very sad and worrying.

“In the stampede in Mahakumbh at the confluence of Prayagraj, condolence to all the devotees who have lost their lives and injured. This incident is highly and worrying. At such a time, give the power to the victims to bear this grief, this is the wish of the party,” she said.

UP Congress state president Ajay Rai said many people are dead and injured due to the stampede on the day of Mauni Amavasya in Mahakumbh.

“This sad incident has exposed the chaos of this fair and the failures of the Uttar Pradesh government. The Yogi government spent all the money only on its branding and marketing and not on the arrangement of devotees who came to Mahakumbh, it shows the insensitivity of this government,” he alleged.

“We were constantly trying to warn of such an incident, but they ignored it,” he added.

“We wish for peace for the souls of the dead and early health benefits of the injured. Along with this, the government urges the government to arrange for proper compensation for the dead and free treatment with compensation to the injured,” Rai demanded.