By The Sampadak Express
The Allahabad High Court has strongly criticized the Uttar Pradesh government for its failure to disburse ex-gratia compensation to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic stampede during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on January 29, 2025.
A vacation bench comprising Justices Saumitra Dayal Singh and Sandeep Jain made the observations while hearing a writ petition filed by Uday Pratap Singh, whose wife died in the incident. The court noted that even four months after the tragedy, no compensation had been offered to the petitioner’s family.“
Once compensation has been announced, it is the bounden duty of the State to ensure timely and dignified payment,” the bench stated.
The court also raised serious concerns over the handling of the victim’s body, which was released to her family without conducting an autopsy at a government-run hospital. The petitioner’s wife was initially reported missing but was later found deceased. Her body was handed over on February 5 by Motilal Nehru Medical College without a postmortem, a lapse which the court found alarming.
The Chief Standing Counsel claimed that since the petitioner had not officially raised a compensation claim, the matter had not yet reached the stage for consideration. Rejecting this reasoning, the court said, “Prima facie, we find the stand taken to be untenable and smacking of apathy to the plight of the citizen.”
Emphasizing the State’s responsibility, the bench remarked, “The State remains the trustee of its citizens. It must protect their lives and offer care and remedies in the event of unintended loss. Since the Kumbh Mela was under the State’s management, it is duty-bound to address such grievances with grace and urgency.”
In its order, the court directed state authorities to file an affidavit detailing:
1. Total number of compensation claims received
2. Number of claims resolved and pending
3. Dates of claim submissions and their status
4. Minimal details of claimants
Additionally, multiple medical institutions and authorities in Prayagraj have been made parties to the petition. They have been instructed to file affidavits disclosing all deaths and medical handling details of victims between January 28 and the end of the Maha Kumbh.
Notably, the postmortem of the petitioner’s wife was eventually conducted in Bihar’s Kaimur district, where the family resides, due to the initial oversight by Prayagraj medical authorities.
The matter has been scheduled for the next hearing on July 18, 2025.
