UP: 3.82 cr devotees take dips at Sangam on Mauni Amavasya; Akhilesh says probe seer's 'mistreatment'

Prayagraj (UP), Jan 18 (PTI) More than 3.82 crore devotees took a holy dip in the Ganga and at the Sangam by 4 pm on Sunday on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, the main bathing festival of the ongoing Magh Mela here, officials said.

A senior mela administration official said devotees began arriving at the Ganga and Sangam ghats from midnight, braving dense fog, and continued to stream in from all directions through the early morning hours.

A brief disruption occurred in the morning when police stopped Jyotirpeeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati from proceeding to the Sangam along with a large number of supporters.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav posted a video of the incident on social media and demanded a probe in the "mistreatment" of the seer.

Superintendent of Police (Magh Mela) Neeraj Pandey said Avimukteshwaranand, without prior permission, attempted to enter the bathing ghat with around 200-250 supporters after breaking the barricade at Bridge Number 2. Despite being told about the heavy rush of devotees, he did not agree to stop and later returned without taking the holy dip, according to Pandey.

"The police administration respects all saints and seers, but the safety of devotees is our top priority," he said.

Yadav, in a post on X, said mistreatment of saints is unpardonable and demanded a probe into the matter.

"The alleged mistreatment of saints and devotees in the Magh Mela area this year, just like last year, is unpardonable. The centuries-old, uninterrupted Sanatani tradition of the royal bath (Shahi Snan) was disrupted last year as well, again under the same government.

"The question is why such incidents are occurring only under a BJP-led government...," he said.

Yadav added, "Is the Shahi Snan of Mauni Amavasya happening for the first time? For this situation, the BJP's misgovernance and failed arrangements are solely responsible." He said the chief minister should not try to be the 'chief' everywhere, and alleged, "An arrogant BJP government and administration refuse to acknowledge anyone greater than themselves. Will they now try to shift the blame onto 'AI' as well?" Yadav further said, "Whether the Uttar Pradesh home secretary is acting arbitrarily or doing so under instructions, both situations are wrong. A probe must be ordered. Highly condemnable." Meanwhile, district officials said flower petals were showered on devotees in the morning from helicopter, following Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's directions.

Earlier, about 1.03 crore devotees had taken a dip on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, while nearly 85 lakh people bathed in the Ganga and Sangam on Ekadashi.

Divisional Commissioner Saumya Agrawal said reflective tapes have been installed on poles across the mela area to help pilgrims navigate correctly, while civil defence volunteers have been deployed to guide devotees.

She said the Magh Mela has been spread across 800 hectares and divided into seven sectors. More than 25,000 toilets have been installed in the mela area, and over 3,500 sanitation workers are deployed to maintain cleanliness.

Agrawal added that a tent city has been set up for tourists and pilgrims wishing to observe short-term Kalpvas (purification rituals), with facilities for meditation and yoga. To ensure smooth movement, services such as bike taxis and golf carts have also been provided.

Pandey said over 10,000 police personnel have been deployed across the mela area to ensure security and smooth movement of devotees. For crowd management and traffic regulation, 42 temporary parking zones have been created this year, with a capacity to accommodate over one lakh vehicles.

He said a total of 12,100 feet-long bathing ghats have been constructed for the Magh Mela 2025-26, equipped with all essential basic facilities. PTI RAJ CDN ABN PRK PRK