The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a Public Interest Litigation seeking specific safety guidelines for devotees attending the Maha Kumbh, where a tragic stampede in Prayagraj’s Sangam area claimed at least 30 lives and left 60 injured.
A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar acknowledged the Uttar Pradesh government’s submission that a similar plea was already pending before the Allahabad High Court. The top court advised petitioner advocate Vishal Tiwari to approach the High Court instead.
“This is an unfortunate incident. But, you go to the Allahabad High Court,” the bench told Tiwari.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, informed the court that a judicial inquiry into the incident had already been initiated.
Tiwari had filed the PIL in the Supreme Court on January 30, a day after the tragedy, invoking Article 32 of the Constitution. The petition urged the court to establish clear safety protocols to prevent stampedes at large religious gatherings and to safeguard the fundamental rights of devotees under Article 21.
The incident occurred during Mauni Amavasya, considered one of the holiest days in the Hindu calendar, drawing massive crowds to the Maha Kumbh.
While the Supreme Court refrained from intervening, its directive to move the Allahabad High Court keeps the legal battle for improved safety measures alive.
