New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ram Gopal Yadav made explosive claims regarding the Maha Kumbh stampede, alleging that the official death toll of 30 was a gross understatement. The MP asserted that the actual number of deaths was far higher, with thousands of lives lost during the stampede that occurred during the Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya.

Death toll vastly higher, says Yadav

Speaking to the media outside Parliament, Yadav accused the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government of deliberately downplaying the scale of the tragedy. He claimed that many of the deceased were either submerged in the Ganga or buried on its banks to conceal the true death toll. Citing eyewitness accounts, Yadav asserted that the figures provided by officials were inaccurate.

"Maha Kumbh mein hazaron log mare gaye, kuch Ganga mein baha diye gaye aur kuch daba diye gaye," he stated, challenging the reported death toll.

State government's alleged attempts to suppress the truth

Yadav further claimed that the state government had issued instructions to Kumbh officials to ensure the death toll did not exceed 30. This directive, according to the SP leader, forced families to take their loved ones' bodies without a post-mortem in exchange for cash payments of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, thus preventing the official count from rising.

Administrative negligence behind the stampede

The MP also attributed the stampede to "gross administrative negligence" under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He alleged that the state government had restricted access to crucial bridges on Mauni Amavasya, allowing only VIPs and Akharas to use them, which he argued led to the fatal incident.

In his remarks, Yadav accused the Uttar Pradesh government of actively working to obscure the truth and mislead the public about the extent of the disaster.

With IANS inputs