Maha Kumbh: Over 1 million devotees' at Ganga for Basant Panchami amidst security measures following recent stampede

PRAYAGRAJ: Undeterred by the Mauni Amavasya stampede that claimed the lives of 30 devotees and left 60 others injured, millions of devotees on Monday flocked to the banks of the Ganga to take a holy dip on the occasion of Basant Panchami. As Monday marked the third and final Amrit Snan, it was the Niranjani Akhara that first took the holy dip at the Sangam.
Notably, chief minister Yogi Adityanath has been monitoring the situation live from the war room since 3:30 am, along with the DGP and other senior administrative officials, issuing important instructions.
SSP Mela Rajesh Dwivedi told TOI that elaborate security measures are in place for the third Amrit Snan, and the Akharas are proceeding for the ritual as per their schedule and order. Joint teams of Mela police and the administration are monitoring the situation at the ghats, managing the heavy influx of devotees, and systematically regulating the crowd.
The SSP added that over 40,000 cops have been deployed in and around the Mela area.