While everyone learned about the deadly stampede near Sangam Nose, few know that just hours later and a mere 2 kilometers away, another devastating crowd crush was there at Jhusi. This second stampede, shrouded in silence, raises accountability, safety, and the human cost at religious gatherings.
The Unspoken Tragedy
The first stampede near Sangam Nose, which claimed lives, was only half the story. There was another tragedy occurred across the Ganga in Jhusi. Official sources confirmed that the death toll of 30 included victims from both incidents, but the second stampede was deliberately kept under wraps to avoid spreading panic among the pilgrims and devotees who were still there at the Mahakumbh Mela.
Jhusi, located on the northern bank of the Ganga, is an approach to the Sangam. It was here, amidst the spiritual fervor, that the second stampede occurred around 5:55 am, just hours after the first. The area was littered with piles of clothes, footwear, and debris, which took over six hours and multiple tractor rounds to clear. The tragedy was compounded by reports of looting. Amidst the chaos, personal belongings like laptops and iPhones were also snatched, adding to the sense of lawlessness.
What makes the Jhusi stampede even more distressing is the lack of immediate response. The absence of timely medical aid, police presence, highlights systemic failures in managing such large-scale events. This stampede was never raised anywhere. People only came to know about the stampede at Sangam."
The twin stampedes occurred on Mauni Amavasya, an auspicious day for the second Shahi Snan, drawing a record 55 million devotees to the Sangam by late Tuesday. While the Mahakumbh is a testimony to faith and unity, it is also a challenge of organising safe and orderly gatherings of such magnitude.
The silence around the Jhusi stampede is a stark reminder of how easily tragedies can be buried in the noise of larger events. It raises critical questions about transparency, preparedness, and the ethical responsibility of authorities to inform the public.
The untold story of the Jhusi stampede is not just about the lives lost but how the systems failed to protect the pilgrims and devotees. Shouldn’t we learn to prioritise safety over silence?
